


Sprinter Train

by KawaiiCommunism



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Cuddling & Snuggling, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Idiots in Love, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, Love at First Sight, M/M, Meet-Cute, Sharing a Bed, Sleepy Cuddles, Slice of Life, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-14
Updated: 2021-01-10
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:27:18
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 52,033
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25903570
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KawaiiCommunism/pseuds/KawaiiCommunism
Summary: Dave never thought a car crash and missing an exam would lead to him meeting the most impossibly cute human ever. While his sisters wedding in the Netherlands had been something he had been dreading, meeting Klaus Hargreeves on the flight may have not only changed his perspective on attending the event but also changed his life.
Relationships: Klaus Hargreeves/David "Dave" Katz
Comments: 54
Kudos: 129





	1. The Sexy Midriff Guy

Not that he thought he would die but oh dear god he was going to die and the plane was still boarding.

Holidaymakers with smiling faces were gleefully making their way up the aisle to their seats while Dave was defiantly having a panic attack. In the nose out the mouth right? Calm breaths that’s what he told himself. He had never been a nervous flyer but now he thought his heart was going to jump out of his chest. He tried to calm down, plane crashes are very unlikely. He had thought the same about car crashes though and here he was. Five months after a car crash that nearly killed him freaking out on a plane. Nice one Dave.

The plane's boarding would be over soon and the last few passengers were taking their seats and Dave half hoped this plane had not been fully booked and the seat beside him would be remaining vacant. That is until he saw some very exposed midriff as a man stuffed a duffle bag into the overhead locker above Dave’s seat.

Well, his hopes of privacy were ruined; Dave just hoped his travel companion would be civil. He had been stuck beside an eighty year old Chatty Cathy on the bus to the airport who told Dave her entire neighbourhood's gossip and barely allowed him to speak, she also made more than a couple of homophobic comments which was just great. Hopefully, sexy midriff guy would not be as inconsiderate.

Sexy midriff man still had not sat down and he was cursing now as he was fighting to shove his bag into the locker. "Motherfucker" he spat out. The more he stretched to shove his bag the more of his torso Dave got a look at and yeah he was pretty hot, slim but still toned with a very slight tan.

'Holy Hell I need to stop perving' Dave thought, hoping the man hadn't noticed. Dave was about to get up to help when the man launched himself into the seat. He threw his arm dramatically over his face and sighed "That's it I give up; one of those cute flight attendants will have to battle that heathen of a locker for me".

Dave laughed both at the dramatics and the use of language. When he moves his arm from across his head Dave finally gets a look at his face. Now maybe it's the fact that moments ago Dave was freaking out in panic but his impulse control has totally abandoned ship so he does not even think before he speaks. "You're really pretty," Dave says mostly to himself but midriff guy hears him.

Dave is mentally cursing himself. God, he has to sit next to this guy for the next seven and a half hours and that's his opening line. He couldn't say hello? God, there were disasters and there was dumbass Dave Katz. Midriff guy didn't seem to mind though and he was smiling at Dave now " I was about to say the same handsome". Dave is smiling with a full toothy grin and he felt his cheeks warming up. "I'm Klaus" the man gives out his hand to shake which Dave notices is tattooed with the word hello.

"My names Dave" he replies taking the slender hand in his own. His hand is soft and Dave is enjoying holding it. 'Crap have I been holding his hand too long' Dave thinks to himself. Klaus hasn’t pulled his hand back though.

In Dave’s other hand is his passport which he had been clutching since boarding so afraid that he would lose it. Klaus is now reaching for it with his free hand and Dave gives it to him.

“Aw bless who is this little cutie pie" Klaus laughs as he gestures to Dave's awful passport photo. He is sixteen in it with childish chubby cheeks, red spots dotting his chin and oh god his hair.

"Look" Dave begins “I’m from a tiny town in Missouri and those highlights were all the style".

"Clearly you guys hadn't left the 90s yet" Klaus jokes. Dave rolls his eyes, it was crazy that he just met this guy and they were having banter like they were old friends. He thinks that those highlights really were never cool and he only got them because all the guys around him were and he so desperately wanted to fit in. Heteronormativity, that’s the word for it right?

“It’s alright though Mr Katz, my picture is a tragic product of its time as well”

Dave liked the way Klaus said his name. God, could he be falling for a guy he just met? Klaus released his hand from his grasp to begin rooting in his smaller hand luggage bag which was still draped over his shoulder. He rummaged for a few seconds allowing Dave to see the myriad of strange objects the man had carried onto the plane. A 70cl of tequila, a Rubix cube and other things Dave could not make out. Finally, Klaus fished out what he had been looking for "Yes as it lives and breathes" Klaus practically sang as he handed Dave a maroon passport.

“ _Nederlanden_ " Dave read from the cover. "Are you Dutch?" he asked, in the brief exchanges he and Klaus had already had he had spoken with a strong US accent.

“Joint citizenship baby!” Klaus replies throwing him finger guns and sporting a cocky grin. “You know Dave I gave it to you so I could even out me laughing at your frosted tips”

Dave opens the document and 2007 practically slaps him in the face. The picture appears to be Klaus but sporting a 2007 sweeping emo haircut. It was accompanied by snakebite piercings and a generous amount of black eyeliner. "Wow" is all Dave says.

Klaus is throwing his arm over his face again hiding the blush creeping up his cheeks "Yeah I walked around looking like I belonged in a My Chem music video” Klaus jokes as he takes the passport back from Dave.

The flight attendants were now shutting all the overhead lockers, theirs included and the trained professionals had no problem getting the door on Klaus’s bag to close. The plane was about to go into Taxi as the seatbelt sign was now lighting up throughout the cabin. This would be an overnight flight and they were due into Amsterdam the following morning. Though he had shared a few moments of panic free bliss chatting to Klaus his anxiety suddenly returned and Dave was breathing heavily as the plane drove up the runway.

He closed his eyes maybe if he didn't watch them leave the ground he would be calmer. Once they were in the sky he could just ignore it right? He was hyperventilating and clutching onto his armrests. It sucked that he had never been this scared on planes before and now here he was losing his shit, losing his shit in front of a cute guy only salted the wound even more. He felt a hand rest on top of his own as he continued his hyperventilating, it calmed slightly and he opened one eye.

"You can hold my hand if you want" Klaus smiled at him in a soft voice. Dave gave a nervous nod and then clutched the hand. Maybe if he squeezed Klaus's hand hard enough it would calm his nerves. He closed both his eyes again choosing not to watch the remainder of taking off. As he tried to focus his breathing he noticed Klaus's thumb was slowly caressing his hand. He smiled slightly, he was glad of the gesture. “We’re in the sky now” Klaus spoke to him softly still holding his hand.

He fully opened his eyes although he chose not to look out the window. “Sorry about that” Dave said, he was embarrassed about the ordeal.

Klaus through his free hand up mockingly "You better be sorry Dave you disgrace" he joked at him. Once again Dave did not want to let go of Klaus's hand. He realised he had never held a man's hand like this before, and though he was twenty two years old and late to the party it was very nice.

"Tell me Dave for such a nervous flyer what are you doing travelling alone?" Klaus asks. Dave shook his head at the memory; "Well" he began "Would you believe both have the same reason".

"Oh" Klaus leaned in closer to him and brought his free hand under his chin to show his piqued interest "Pray to tell Dave," he said once again sporting that cocky smile which practically glowed.

"So my sister is getting married in four days in this little town in the West Netherlands. My mom and the wedding party flew out three days ago but I had to do a repeat exam yesterday and couldn't go". Dave saw Klaus nodding on with his story and he must have been confused as to what all this could do with his fear of flying.

"So that is why you are alone" Klaus replied, "Aw Dave did you fail one of your exams, what a bad boy".

“Pfft, I wish I just failed it" Dave laughs, he looks down "No, I missed one of my final exams because I was in a pretty serious car crash on the morning of said exam, so yeah I took the repeat exam yesterday which Steph was pretty pissed about you know me being late and you know taking attention away from her with my recovery".

Klaus's nose scrunches up and his eyes look baffled "Hang on your telling me you were in a serious car crash and your sister was mad at you over it, damn what a bitch".

Dave laughs at this "Yeah she's a handful but you know you do for family".

Klaus is shaking his head again "No way if Ali or Vanya treated me like that I would tell them I’m not coming to their wedding”.

“So you have sisters then, is it just the three of you?” Dave asks.

Klaus then erupts into laughter “God Dave I wish it was only the three of us” he wipes a tear from his eye “No there is seven of us”.

“That’s some crazy home economics you have going on Klaus” Dave laughs in response. He scratches behind his ear “It’s just Steph and my mom and I even found that insanely overwhelming and crowded growing , had to move to the city to get some space you know”.

Klaus mirrors his action scratching behind his ear “Its good sometimes, I mean it’s all I ever knew, I still live at home with all of them too”. Klaus rests his head against his headrest and closes his eyes for a few seconds. He looks so peaceful, the exact opposite of Dave’s earlier outburst “You feeling better now” he asks.

Dave shrugs “I mean not the best but hopefully I will chill out eventually, talking to you helps”.

Klaus seems to appreciate the compliment because he smiles back at Dave before a devious grin takes over his face “I think I can help you some more!” Klaus beams at him before he once again reaches into his bag. This time however he keeps his hand in Dave’s and searches his bag single handily. He fishes out the 70cl of tequila and displays it to Dave the way a waiter in a fancy restraint would. “What do you say to a bit of Dutch courage Mr Katz” Klaus practically purrs. Dave feels the blush creeping up him once again, does this guy know how he sounds, surely he must?

"Well considering I'm in the presence of a Dutchman how could I say no”

Klaus lets go of Dave’s hand once more so he can open the bottle, disappointing Dave at the loss of the warmth. Rather than using a glass Klaus wrapped his lips around the bottle and drinks it straight. He sports another grin as he passes the bottle to Dave.

Dave had never been much of a drinker he used to stay sober to look after his ex-girlfriend when she drank too much, but he also didn’t want to look like a total geek, maybe just a small sip. He took a tiny sip but then realised he could do better and allowed more of the liquor to run down his throat.

Klaus seemed to nod in approval he grabbed Dave’s hand once more “See Davey, me plus some good booze your all set”. Dave tilted the bottle back towards Klaus with a smile plastered across his face. ‘Seven hours is not enough time with him’ Dave thought to himself as the two begin passing the tequila animatedly between them.

"So is it your mom or Dad that's Dutch" Dave asks as he takes another swig, the liquor is going down a lot easier than the first sip.

“Well depends how you want to look at it kind of both of them and kind of neither of them”. Klaus can tell Dave is confused but he seems to be enjoying it. He points to himself “Little Dutch orphan adopted by a U.S fancy man”

Dave nods back at him “Makes sense” he notes.

Klaus then begins giggling again “You know I think I made it all sound so ordinary” he laughs as he takes another sip of the tequila.

Dave corks his head slightly to the side intrigued by what Klaus is letting on. He mimics Klaus’s action from earlier and rests his hand under his chin “Pray to tell?” he asks. Klaus giggles again; god is that one of the best sounds he has ever heard.

"Oh Davey dearest wait and I give you the shpeel” Klaus laughs out resting the tequila bottle between his thighs so he can accompany his story with extravagant hand gestures. “So” he begins “ My dad is insane one of those more money than sense types” Dave nods he understand the type of character Klaus is suggesting. Klaus twirls his fingers in the air, “He is also a pretty big deal psychologist. He was one of the guys taking baby monkeys off their mothers back in the 60s; they were called the Hargreeves experiments if you ever heard of them”.

Dave’s face twisted in interest, he was sure he had learned about those in high school psychology. “I think I have heard of those, he wanted to study learned and instinctive behaviours right?” Dave replied.

Klaus nods "Exactly! Anyways he exhausted studying monkeys and well he got it into his head that he should acquire some kids. Now by the late 80s, there was so many ethics involved that he decided he would just adopt seven little show ponies and he could do whatever he wanted on us. His big thing is nature vs. nurture and he decided to push some of us against the grain."

He says this while looking down and Dave figures there is a deal of trauma attached to this, who the hell adopts kids to experiment on them? Klaus takes another sip of tequila and passes it to Dave before he continues "My mom, birth mom is apparently this insanely smart PhD student with a humongous IQ so what does he do? Gets me to be all artistic and spiritual and shit. He wanted to see if I would inherit any of her smarts for math if I was raised against it.” Klaus smiles at his lap and Dave wants to just wrap his arms around him and comfort him, nobody’s life should be an experiment.

Klaus looks back to him with a smile “But yeah the Amsterdam thing. Daddy is writing a book so he has asked us all to go to our birthplace and immerse in the culture and report back so here I am, like some may see this as a nice 23rd birthday present but hey I'm getting a vacation out of his experiment." He has a bashful smile this time, not the cocky one from before. Dave tightens his grip on the other man's hand and looks him deep in the eyes.

“Klaus you may be the single most interesting person I have ever met in my life”

Dave is unsure if Klaus sees the sincerity in his words but he has never been more certain of anything else in his life. "You're so cute Davey" Klaus replies pinching Dave on the cheek.

Dave pats the top of his Klaus's head "Not as cute as you Goth boy". Dave cannot believe how relaxed he is on a plane of all places, sure the tequila is helping but Klaus is affecting him. Their eyes meet and for a few seconds they share a lingering gaze, Klaus's thumb is still lightly caressing his hand.

“So are you excited for the wedding?” Klaus asks.

“God no! I’m going to need to deal with my uncle Brian giving me crap for being single, my sister is going to be a total bridezilla not to mention my ex-girlfriend will be there" Dave laughs out at the total absurdity of the situation. He does not want to go to this wedding and the entire ordeal is just unwanted stress, but hey family right. Then again he thinks how he has met this dashing stranger because of the wedding.

Dave takes a big swig of the tequila and passes it back to Klaus “Yikes” Klaus says “That’s going to be one awkward wedding”.

Dave sighs awkward does not even begin to cover it. “At first I did feel bad for her, I mean she thought I was going to propose and I broke up with her” he shakes his head as he recalls the memory of only five months earlier.

"Why did you break up?" Klaus asks.

" Well," Dave began " He was sure Klaus knew the answer but he had never said it aloud to another person before, he could tell Klaus though in the short time he had known this man he had calmed him out of a panic attack and had trusted him with trauma from his childhood. Dave let out a breath "Well I'm really really gay” he laughs.

Klaus laughs back at him “Wow Dave, I never would have guessed” he darts his eyes back down to their still holding hands. Dave laughed yeah it did seem kind of silly coming out to a guy who’s hand he had so tenderly been holding and caressing.

"Are you out?" Klaus asked. This made Dave burst out laughing.

"Are you serious? That's funny, no not out, my mom is so bigoted she won't even watch any TV shows with LGBT characters' and Steph she tries to act okay with it but you won’t see her campaigning for equal rights or anything , Cheryl my ex-girlfriend is actually her maid of honour and yeah I have witnessed the two of them complaining about a gay guy getting all the attention at the local bar".

“Ah she’s one of those people” Klaus rolls his eyes “ I’m guessing she is also like ‘it’s cool that they wanna be gay, but do they have to do it in front of me type of people".

Dave gives a sombre nod “Exactly”.

“So what about you are you out?”

Klaus laughs at the question “Oh sweet Dave I don’t think I was ever in, although I think my family knew for sure when I made out with a guy who had taken Vanya on a date”. Klaus gives a Dave another cocky grin as he laughs at the memory of when he was fourteen.

“Ouch for her” Dave says not fully seeing the comedic impact.

"Oh it's all good, she's a lesbian but before she was out Alison forced her to go on a date with some friend of her boyfriends and well they were all supposed to be hanging out in the living area and let's just say he got lost on his way to the bathroom"

“No way”

"Uh-huh, poor Ben came into my room to see if I wanted to play D&D and I was full on making out with the guy and it was great"

"Big gay revelation" Dave jokes squeezing his hand.

“ Well I’m not gay I’m pan, which is funny because the first time I brought a girl home then I had to come out because all of my brothers assumed I was fully gay”.

“That’s pretty funny” Dave laughs. He often wished he could be out and experience showing the world who he truly was without watering himself down around relatives. "I wish I could have stories like you" Dave sighs "I mean there are so many things I have never done and I feel like I'm just wasting this period of my life". He feels his cheeks heat up again "Sorry maybe I'm over sharing".

Klaus laughs back at him “Dave just because I’m out doesn’t mean that I have had this amazing life, I say there are tons of things you have done that I’m major jealous of”.

Dave shakes his head “Nah no way”.

Klaus once again giggling shows a mischievous grin “Oh yeah Davey, well we have a drink what do you say to some never have I ever.

Dave mirrors his grin “Alright you’re on Hargreeves”. Dave begins “Never have I ever had a brother” he gleefully explains.

Klaus rolls his eyes “ Okay firstly that’s a low blow” he pauses before taking a sip of the tequila “but two can play at that game, Never have I ever had frosted tips".

" You little bastard" Dave spits back as he takes the tequila from Klaus's grasp, perhaps he should try to learn more about Klaus rather than tactfully trying to get him drunk. "Hang on a second" Dave says as he pulls a half empty soda bottle from his bag "Maybe we should drink it mixed".

Klaus shrugs his shoulders "I mean, I’m not going to complain hang on”. Klaus releases both his seat belt and Dave’s hand from his and is suddenly making his way down the cabin.

He returns a few moments later with his own bottle of soda and two plastic glasses “We are men of high class Mr Katz” he jokes before sitting back down. He pours two glasses of tequila and lemonade handing one to Dave.

“Never have I ever kissed somebody without knowing their name” Dave says.

Klaus sighs before taking his sip "You really are trying to call me out aren't you Dave".

Dave scrunches up his face "What, me assuming you were a little minx why I would never" he jokes back as he bops Klaus on the nose, receiving a smile from Klaus.

"So you really never kissed and drifted," Klaus asks looking bashful.

Dave scoffs "I've only kissed three people, I mean when I was fifteen me and one of the hockey players kissed but he made me swear not to ever tell anyone and we never really spoke again, then I was with Cheryl for over four years and after that, I slept with a guy I knew from college at a house party but yeah that's it, bit sad don't you think".

Now Dave looked self-conscious as he fumbled with his thumbs and wondering why Klaus had decided not to hold his hand again. He didn't actually think only kissing three people was bad but of the two men he had neither were romantic which is what sucked. Maybe he should be the brave one and grab Klaus's hand, interlock their fingers and feel the flood of calm that came last time. As if Klaus was reading his mind he put his hand on Dave's knee, grabbing his attention "I don't think it's sad I actually think it's really cute".

Klaus laughs “ I mean when I was twenty I remember meeting people constantly in bars and having no recollection of how I met them, actually I think the worst one was at the after party of one of Allison’s shows” he seems to be rambling to himself as he recalls the memory.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to," Dave says but Klaus just giggles "Nah it's a pretty funny story". Dave gives him a nod "Alrighty then” he beams”.

“So” Klaus starts “the play Ali was in was a pretty big deal so they booked out an entire club for the full cast, crew and families so despite all of us being only twenty we were pretty thrilled to be in a fancy club. Plus there was an insane amount of champagne. Now Allison is much more sensible than me and people kept buying her drinks to congratulate her on her performance so she kept giving them to me and Diego you know not wanting to become a drunk mess in front of her colleagues”.

Dave nods “Sounds understandable to me, she sounds like a sensible girl” he jokes.

Klaus laughs back “Yeah she is, well most of the time”. Klaus pauses his story to take a sip of his drink. “Okay so Diego and I are getting very very drunk but we don’t care we were having a great time. Now this is where my memory gets foggy so according to Ben I met a guy on the dance floor and he introduced himself to Diego and Ben and everything but before he formally introduced himself to me I started making out with him”. Klaus isn’t making full eye contact with Dave and is looking away before he continues “So Diego and I suddenly had to be sick so we disappear for like half an hour. Next thing I know I’m in a chair with Ben as he is forcing me to drink water and Diego is back on the dance floor.

Then suddenly I see Diego going to kiss his ex-girlfriend so I go all protective brother but also aware of how drunk he and I are and I say _" Ben go stop Diego he told me to stop him if he tries to kiss Eudora when he is drunk_ " so Ben goes off leaving me alone. Now again this is according to Ben but apparently once Ben got up I spotted the guy marched up to him and said _" It's you kiss me_ " and he kissed me. Next thing Ben is pulling me off the guy and I'm staring at Ben and then the guy and then Ben again before I gracefully uttered: " _Ben who is this"._

Klaus shakes his head and giggles nervously “Yeah safe to say it wasn’t one of my most graceful moments but it’s become a funny running joke between me and Ben”.

For some reason, Dave is glad for him to have shared this intimate detail of his past for one thing he is jealous of Klaus for his confidence and complete acceptance of who he is but then he thinks of a concerning element of the story.“You weren’t worried he was taking advantage of you though were you?”

Klaus laughs again " Nah, like Ben told me we both seemed equally drunk and into it and when Ben told him he was taking me home he was chill, I also got confirmation from Allison that he was also twenty so no weird business".

Dave nods "Good because I don't like the idea of anyone ever taking advantage of you".

Klaus smiles back at him "We forgot about our game" he laughs out.

Confused for a moment Dave laughs too “Oh crap yeah, never have I ever, it’s your turn you know”.

Klaus nods “Right okay” he taps his lip a few times as he thinks “I got it! Never have I ever had a high school nickname” he utters.

Dave lets out a huge groan “Oh you are going to laugh at me for this” he says shaking his head and taking a drink.

Klaus laughs too “Okay you have to tell me what did those awful teenagers call the sweet Dave Katz” Klaus pokes his side as he speaks in an over the top manner.

"They used to call me Pussy Katz," he says trying not to make eye contact with Klaus. This only causes Klaus to once again burst out laughing barely able to contain himself as his eruption of laughter only continues. He knew it was funny; maybe it was funnier considering they gave it to him because he was dating one of the prettiest girls in school. Oh if only his classmates had known.

“Hey” Dave protests “I’m sure you have your fair share of embarrassing high school stories”

Klaus wipes a tear from his eye still giggling and god Dave could get drunk on just the sound of his laughter "Nope" he says popping the p for emphasis.

Confused Dave looks back at him " You mean to tell me you have zero embarrassing high school stories" he gets closer to Klaus's ear before whispering "you sir are full of crap" before giggling to himself.

Klaus shrugs “Look, you don’t get to have embarrassing high school stories when you never went”.

Dave pauses for a moment before becoming flustered “Crap, Sorry I totally did not mean to insult you I mean I..." Dave is silenced when Klaus's finger is pressed to his lips.

"Stop working yourself up, it's fine" he giggles. Dave nods and Klaus releases his mouth "Yeah Dad decided homeschooling us was the best option; would you believe he still had us wear uniforms".

“Shut up” Dave laughs back.

" Oh yeah, Daddy was totally Mr I Run This House As An Academy And I Expect You Children To Act As So," Klaus says in a mocking British accent pointing his finger at Dave for every word. "Hang on I think I have a picture". He dishes out his phone "Just give me a second okay".

Dave watches as he knits his brows together and begins scrolling through his phones camera roll a few minutes later he squeals “I found it”.

Dave expected to see maybe a grainy picture from a disposable Kodak, what he does not expect is a massive portrait hanging above a fireplace.

The Klaus in the painting is younger than the Klaus in the passport photo but he is instantly recognizable with the same piercing green eyes, he is also absent of any crazy hair or piercings. None of the children are smiling is the first thing Dave notices.

Klaus zooms in "Next to me is my sweet Ali". Dave smiles "She is stunning," he says, this elicits a squeal from Klaus. He flicks his hair over his ear dramatically "I mean not as pretty as me but the boys do love her" he giggles.

"No, she isn't as pretty as you" Dave agrees taking a long pause to stare into Klaus's eyes. Quickly becoming flustered Dave points to the other girl in the picture “And this must be Vanya”.

This causes Klaus’s entire face to light up “I can’t believe you remembered” he beams. This confuses Dave, Klaus had told him her name and he was such an illuminating character how could he not hang on every word he had said. “Of course I remembered” he states.

Klaus seems troubled and he looks down "It's just usually people think I'm talking crap and only half listen to me" he sighs.

Dave then repeats Klaus's action from a while ago and places his hand on Klaus's thigh as massages in small circles " Klaus you do sound like a spontaneous firecracker but I would never not listen to you, I said it before I think you are one of the most interesting people I have ever met". Dave moves his hand once again grabbing Klaus's in his own as the game is forgotten in preference for sharing stories.

Everybody in the seats around them seemed to be asleep and Dave and Klaus were still so immersed in their conversation it hadn’t dawned on either of them that perhaps they should have done the same. Dave just could not stop though the way Klaus’s eyes lit up when he told stories about his siblings the way he used his free hand to twirl his curls around, the way he was touching Dave’s arm it was all too much.

"What is it," Klaus asks that amazing smile still on his face.

Dave had drunk more tequila on this flight than he had ever drunk before and it was doing wonders for his confidence, perhaps the fact that the bottle was half empty was a bad sign. "It's just" Dave whispers "I really want to kiss you, but I'm so aware of how public we are" he sighs.

Klaus looks over his shoulder "Everybody is asleep Davey" he replies with the most gorgeous smile Dave had ever seen.

Dave looks around confirming what Klaus had said nobody, at least nobody who could see them was conscious. Dave bit his lip slightly a wide smile spreading across his cheeks. He had wanted to do this since Klaus started talking just a few hours earlier. Sure he had been initially attracted to him but that only quadrupled when he talked with him and saw how amazing of a man he was. He reached out and took Klaus's cheek in his hand. He stroked it with the side of his thumb as he slowly made his way in, pausing only centimetres from Klaus's lips.

"Do it" Klaus whispers and with that Dave made the final surge forward pressing his lips against the other man's. They were soft and tasted like tequila and Dave could also feel Klaus's stubble. For the first time, he broke their joint hands and brought his now free hand around Klaus's slender waist. Klaus meanwhile wrapped both arms around Dave's neck.

Though the kiss had started as sweet and soft, Dave was suddenly craving more. Klaus must have agreed because he felt Klaus's tongue pressing against his mouth. Smiling against the other man's lips he opened his mouth more all the while tightening his grip on Klaus's waist. The seats on the plane did not feel constricting until this very moment when all he wanted to do was pick Klaus up as he deepened the kiss. As he tried to bring Klaus closer to him he suddenly winced.

He pulls away for a moment seeing the confused expression on Klaus’s face. “I’m sorry” he utters embarrassingly “It’s just I hurt my shoulder in the crash and I guess it’s still sensitive and...”Klaus captures his lips in a sweet kiss before he can continue “Don’t apologise to me Davey come here” he beckons towards his chest.

He stretches his left arm behind Dave's heads as he invites him closer. Dave gets the gesture and then scoots closer to the other man resting his head on Klaus's shoulder. "This shoulder right," Klaus asks as he begins lightly running his hand up and down Dave's left arm. Dave is baffled he has never been touched so tenderly before and he is basking in the feeling. Klaus presses his lips into Dave's curls another foreign sensation to him. Sure he had been with Cheryl but she never looked at him as something delicate that could be treated as such. He knows there must be a massive grin on his face but he also begins to feel tired as Klaus continues running his fingers up and down his bad shoulder he dozes off his face comfortably on the other man's shoulder.

He wakes up to fingers lightly stroking his cheek and he is confused as to where he for a moment. Suddenly it comes back to him he is on a flight on his way to Steph's wedding and he met someone. He lifts his head catching Klaus's eyes. He looks sleepy but still beautiful "Guess what," Klaus says.

Dave scrunches his nose still feeling groggy “Mmm too sleepy to guess, you'll have to tell me" he rests his head on Klaus's shoulder again.

This elicits more giggles "Aw poor sleepy Davey, what I was going to say is that we are in Taxi you slept through landing you must have been really sleepy". Dave's eyes shoot open and he looks out his window, sure enough, the plane is slowly making its way up the runway. Klaus's arm was still wrapped around him; the poor guy's shoulder must have been killing him.

"How long did I sleep?" He says as he lifts himself out of the embrace and immediately missing the contact.

Klaus taps his lips again " Hmm, I'm gonna say just over two hours enough time for me to watch Dirty Dancing and also some spare time to just stare at your pretty face".

Dave blushes again "Dirty Dancing?" he jokes back mockingly, this only causes Klaus to dramatically raise his eyebrows "Dave Katz don't you dare disrespect Patrick Swayze he is one of Ben and I's favourites". With newfound confidence and the knowledge that once off this plane he would never see his fellow passengers again, Dave presses a light kiss to Klaus's cheek "Damn your cute" he utters.

Following the example of those around them, they vacate their seats. Klaus gets out first and Dave experiences Déjà Vu as he sees Klaus's tanned midriff once more as he stretches for his bag. He does this without much struggle "Which one's yours" he hears Klaus say. 'What a gentleman' Dave thinks to himself as he continues to admire Klaus's exposed stomach and his strong V.

"It's a green backpack with black straps" he utters.

His bag is suddenly pushed towards him "Can't have you stretching and hurting your shoulder Davey" Klaus giggles as he fixes his bag over his shoulder as the pair of them vacate the plane. Once off the plane Klaus quickly grabs Dave's hand and laces their fingers "I don't want to lose you" he says plainly, "Well I can't argue with that" Dave replies as they make their way through the airport.

They approach security and Dave notices two separate stairwells "EU and Swiss Citizens" and "Non-EU". He pauses worrying this is it, the two of them are going to separate now and he will never see Klaus Hargreeves again. Klaus lightly jabs his side "Hey, hey I'll see you at baggage claim yeah?" Dave enthusiastically nods "Yeah!" he agrees as the two separate.

As he joins the lengthy queue for passport control he reflects on his last seven hours. How a panic attack had led to hand holding with the most perfect man he had ever seen, how he had openly declared the words "I am gay" for the first time", how he had shared intimate details of his life and how he experienced kissing the beautiful Klaus Hargreeves and the cherry on top he was confident and felt safe enough to openly and publically hold his hand and the thing was nobody paid much notice. This would be unheard of in his tiny town in Missouri where gossip was the glue of the town, sure Dallas where he used to spend his summers with his uncle was a bit more cosmopolitan but he still would never have dared to be so open. Who would know Schipol Airport would be his accepting haven.

He gets through security quickly and begins the walk towards the baggage claim. As he enters the room a familiar set of brown curls is the first thing he spots “Daaaave" the other man cheers as he literally skips over to Dave.

"Hey, stranger" he replies as he feels Klaus wrap his arms around him in a hug. It was crazy to Dave that the two of them didn’t even know each other twelve hours ago with how close he now felt to Klaus both literally and figuratively.

The baggage carousel suddenly sparks to life and he and Klaus join the crowds to look out for their bags. Klaus situates himself in front of Dave but slightly to his side inviting Dave to wrap his arms around his core which Dave does gladly. Yesterday Dave would never have in a million years thought about engaging in such a public display of affection but Klaus Hargreeves had an effect on him. The two of them are momentarily lost in their own world when shrieks of a very angry Australian woman grab their attention.

To their side, a woman is speaking loudly on the phone meaning everyone can hear her conversation.

-"They god damn lost my bag"-

-“Well apparently it’s in Dubrovnik and they can get it here on the next flight but it won’t be here for twelve hours”-

-"Uh I know, Well the airline at least has gotten me a hotel room to wait in," the woman says to whoever she is speaking on the phone too. This gives Dave an idea and a mischievous grin suddenly takes over his face.-

"Sucks to be her" Klaus whispers to Dave nonchalantly as he scoots himself closer again to Dave.

Klaus fit in Dave's embrace so well he felt as if they were two puzzle pieces that just needed to slot together. If that was true Dave was not going to ruin faith and leave Klaus today. "What if that were me," he says.

"Hmm come again," Klaus says as he continues watching the baggage carousel.

Dave suddenly spins the other man around "I mean I am not leaving you today, what if I tell my Mom that my bag ended up in Dubrovnik and we get another 12 hours together".

He knows Klaus may laugh at him for feeling the need to make up a lie just to get more time together but Klaus just pinches his cheek " Ooooh Davey who's spontaneous now" he giggles.

Dave shakes his head wondering what on Earth he has gotten himself into, but rather than question it, he once again kisses the top of Klaus's head " I guess you did this to me" he says proudly.

He spots his suitcase first it's green and black matching his backpack and he goes to reach for it, only for Klaus to push him out of the way "Uh uh no way, I'm not having you hurt your shoulder silly boy" Klaus laughs as he sticks his tongue out at Dave and pulls the case off the carousel himself. It is a sweet gesture Dave thinks to himself as Klaus moves the case towards Dave he begins giggling "Davey look we match". Klaus is referring to his entire black outfit matching his mostly back case and the green accents matching the green of his eyes.

"Well look at that” Dave jokes back. Perhaps he had always found that shade of green beautiful although there was no place it looked more stunning than in Klaus’s eyes.

Klaus's bag comes around not long after and the two are left gathering their bearings. Dave would need to call his mom and tell her his cover story. Really it was great that he heard the Australian lady because he didn't know what lie he would have come up with on his own. There was no instance where he was leaving this Airport without Klaus so he knew he would have needed to come up with something. He fishes his phone out of his pocket " I'm going to call my mom" he declares deciding that doing so would be best to get it out of the way so he could then fully spend his time with Klaus.

Klaus gives him a nod and he moves a few paces left before dialling his mom's number "Good luck" he mouths which Dave smiles back to and gives a thumbs up.

Growing up he had been a good kid only telling white lies but still lying to his mom felt odd, she could be awful though so this was okay.

She picked up after two rings, "David, I trust you have landed safely," she says flatly, Mrs Iris Katz had always been a very blunt woman.

“I did Mom, I’m in the Airport” he scratches his ear on reflex .

“Then I trust you are making your way to the trains and we will see you soon” she once again says in her monotone.

Dave suddenly gets his confidence “Actually Mom there is a tiny issue”.

"An issue?”

"Yes," he repeats "The airline has made a mistake and my case has ended up in Croatia they can get it to me on a later flight but it won't be here for twelve hours".

“What carelessness” his mother bites back. He knew she would be irritated at this, “Your suit for the wedding is in that case, how careless of them” she utters.

“ It’s okay though mom the airline is going to put me in a hotel where I can wait and I will be with you tonight, suit and all”.

His mom pauses for a moment “I want to speak to whoever told you that” she bites causing Dave to panic.

“Mom” he pleads “They are just going to just tell you the same”.

His mother’s voice only increases in volume “I don’t care David put me onto them”. His eyes widen and he looks to Klaus who had been listening in. Klaus then winks at him and he nods.

"Okay Mom I am putting you onto the baggage rep now," he says as he hands Klaus his phone.

Klaus only grins at him "Hello madam, this is John speaking how can I help you" he says in an overly foreign but not specific to any country accent. This only causes Dave to smile some more. His mom had always been like this, always wanting to speak to the manager, she was just one of those cranky Midwestern women who thought people in the service industry ought to know whose boss and why they need to work to deserve her business. It was in moments like this that Dave truly missed his Dad who never would have fared to behave like that.

He cannot hear what his mom is saying but it is a solid moment before Klaus speaks again “I understand your concern madam but I can assure you he will have his bag and I will have him escorted to the hotel”. His mom must accept the response because Klaus hands him back his phone.

“David call me when you have your case," she says and hangs up before he has a chance to reply.

When he puts his phone back in his pocket Klaus slides back towards him "Wow your mom sounds a delight" he says. Dave only rolls his eyes "Uhhh you don’t know the half of it, enough about her though let’s get out of here”.

“Your right Dave we are only twenty minutes from the bright bicycles of Amsterdam” Klaus then begins skipping towards the trains which are directly under the airport.

As they wait for the train to Amsterdam central Dave notices the train that he should have been boarding had he not met this insanely cute human. The train turns out is rather full and rather than one of them standing Klaus insists on pushing Dave into a single seat and sitting on his lap. He wasn’t going to complain, it appeared many others on the train had had the same idea, one girl was going further and was being held in an almost bridal hold as she slept in the arms of a man who looked at her in total adoration.

“So what do you want to do?” Dave asks.

Klaus then leans further into him and could he do this forever, Dave knew he acknowledged it earlier but he honestly felt like they were made to be together like this, cheesy as it sounded. “I think we should take a nap” Klaus declares “I know you had a little snooze on the flight but I think we should sleep for an hour maybe and then get some waffles”.

Dave has to agree poor Klaus must be exhausted he thinks and lying in bed with Klaus for a nap he is not going to complain. "Sounds good" he agrees.

The hotel Klaus's dad had booked for him was really cute, not overly fancy and cosy. The rooms were like little pods with only a small walkway and were mostly just beds. The small space only made him feel closer to Klaus though as the two of them stood chest to chest. Their cases had been placed safely in a locker room making the room just for sleeping which added to the cosiness. Klaus admires the tiny room "Dad would have gotten me a fancy schmancy place if I asked but I figured someplace like this would have younger patrons for me to make friends with". Dave has to agree with him on that.

"I think it's time for nappy naps," Klaus says as he eyes up the bed which Dave finds insanely cute the way he rubs his eyes sleepily. Klaus reaches for the hem of his top before he pauses "I sleep shirtless is that okay?"

Dave can't help but giggle at him "What do you mean if it's okay, do whatever you're comfortable with".

"Well if you say so," Klaus says before stripping down into only his underwear and diving into the bed. Dave has to simply admire him for a moment; he is the most perfect thing Dave has ever seen. He is suddenly reminded of the few hours earlier when Klaus's simple midriff was making him gasp for air. Klaus must have noticed the look of shock and admiration on Dave's face as he blows a kiss in Dave's direction " I would say stop undressing me with your eyes but I guess I've left little to the imagination" he purrs. Klaus grabs his phone from beside him where Dave assumes he is setting an alarm, Despite the idea of it being amazing he does not want the two of them to sleep the entire day away.

He then pats the mattress "Come on, I want cuddles". Dave cannot deny him that so he decides to abandon his t-shirt although choosing to keep his slacks as he joins Klaus in the bed. "Hi," he says as he stares into those amazing green eyes as they now lay next to each other. "Hello there," Klaus replies waving his hello hand at him as they both get under the covers. Klaus then cosies up to Dave's right side resting his head on Dave's shoulder. Dave puts his god arm around Klaus pulling him closer so he can stroke his back as he waits for Klaus to fall asleep.

Dave can hear Klaus’s steady breathing as he plays with his messy curls. Stretching his bad arm out behind him he lets out a giggle. Never did he think something as amazing as this could happen to him. He brings his hand up to Klaus’s cheek as he slowly caresses it and admires how soft his skin is. This causes Klaus to slightly stir but he relaxes into the touch.

Dave can’t help the grin that’s plastered across his face, Steph and his mom are going to be so pissed at him but this is one thousand times worth it. Klaus who it turns out was not yet asleep lifts his head “Hey what you thinking about?” he asks in a sleepy hushed voice. He rests both his hands on Dave’s chest so he can look up at him.

Dave shakes his head and runs his hand down Klaus’s slender back “Nothing it’s just this day to turn out like this you know to be lying in bed with somebody as amazing as you”.

Klaus playfully pinches his cheek “Aw Davey stop buttering me up”.

"Hey, Klaus! Never have I ever gotten a kiss in bed from a gorgeous man”

“Oh so you have been bedding and making out with lots of ugly guys, that fair enough I guess”.

Dave playfully hits his side “That’s not what I meant and you know it”. Klaus smiles before propping himself being sure not to get Dave’s bad shoulder, with Dave’s hand still pressed into the small of Klaus's back the entire action feels intimate and soft. After taking a few seconds to just look at Dave, Klaus leans in and captures the other man's lips.

Their sleepy lips brush against each other before Klaus breaks the kiss "I guess you can't say you have never done that anymore".

Dave gives him one more peck "Yeah I guess that is true".

Klaus relaxes back down onto Dave’s chest and runs his hand over Dave’s chest as he begins to doze off. Giving Klaus one last kiss on the top of his head Dave begins to do the same. His mother is expecting him in thirteen hours but until then he is going to savour every second of this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow !  
> Okay second Klave fic and we are shooting for multi-chapter. While this was a WIP I sent it into the Klave Club on Tumblr and not only received amazing feedback but also the lovely Stormy suggested the game of Never Have I Ever. God, I love these two idiots so much and I really hope I am doing them justice. So a little about me I feel my stories are best when I tie in some experiences I have had so Klaus's story in Never Have I Ever was me when I was a graceful 20 years old kissing a boy and forgetting his name, yikes. I would like to dedicate this chapter to my friend Chris who is not even in this fandom but for quarantine has had to listen to me talk and gush about these boys, Chris was who actually insisted I insert the " Who is this" line as it was originally " Chris who is this" .I would love love love some feedback, also I posted this immediately after finishing so if there are any mistakes please do let me know !!!.  
> xoxo  
> Naomi


	2. The Kissing Clog Man

Dave wasn’t sure how near they were to an alarm going off but he really didn't care. He woke up with his arms delicately wrapped around Klaus's sleeping form and the feel of their naked chests pressed together. Maybe it was cruel to do so as he ran the risk of waking him but Dave could not resist it as he brought his hand up to run the sides of his fingers along Klaus’s cheek.

His skin was like satin and Dave could not understand how a human so perfect existed, more so he could not comprehend how this man was in his arms. The motion only caused Klaus to cuddle further into him and he could not help the grin across his face. Is this how Klaus felt as he slept on his shoulder, such complete tranquillity? Feeling another beating heart against his own, and the warmth of another body on his, it was bliss and he was drunk on it. In his four years with Cheryl the two of them had never woken up still cuddled together. Sure he would wrap his arms around her to sleep but they always woke up on opposite sides of the bed, their sleeping forms feeling a need to be separate, perhaps it was a sign that they should have split up a lot sooner than they did. Dave brought his lips down to delicately kiss Klaus's curls once more, he smelled like cinnamon and sugar, it was intoxicating. He could not help but feel that this was where he belonged. Just then music rang through the room and his sleepy companion jolted awake.

Dave was nearer to the phone so he quickly grabs it and hands it to Klaus.” Why is your alarm the opening of Dallas?” he asks as he too fully wakes up from their nap. As Klaus turned off the alarm he buried his face further into Dave’s chest “Makes me feel like I’m waking up into something epic” he says “I had it as the Star Wars theme for awhile but I decided to shake it up”. Dave shakes his head at this because of course someone as colourful a character as Klaus would want to wake up as if he was in a movie. Maybe he should tell Klaus how he lived in Dallas for awhile, he would probably find that a coincidence.

”Did you sleep well?” he asks as he continues caressing his cheek. “Mmh too good, want more" Klaus replies. Dave has to laugh at him " Darling what about the bright bicycles of Amsterdam?" he jokes using Klaus’s earlier term for the city. Klaus perks up at this and lifts his face.

“I’m darling now am I?”

Dave then kisses him on his nose” Yes Klaus darling" he says as he proceeds to then kiss his forehead as well” Or maybe I could call you dearest". In reality he hadn’t thought before saying it, it just felt right and the pet name certainly suited him especially as he was all cute and sleepy .Dave was officially head over heels and loving every second. Klaus squirmed more into him and he squeezed him close. “I believe you said something about waffles" Dave asked as he brought his fingers into Klaus's hair combing through the curls.

“Mmh I did say that, that was before these cuddles though"

‘Twelve hours’ Dave thought, ‘twelve more hours of him’ he looked down as Klaus was falling asleep again before he decided he needed to be selfish, nap be dammed. Securing his good arm tightly around Klaus he rolled the two of them over so he could bend down and start peppering his face with kisses “You gotta wake up and I take you on a date” he utters. He knew Klaus was awake from the way he grinned every time he kissed him. He was probably just trying to be cute, it was working. With that Klaus finally opened his eyes “God, Dave if you are going to be enthusiastic about it I guess I could go for a waffle or something” he playfully sticks his tongue out at Dave as he says it.

Dave smiled at this, he really should not have this much energy considering he had only three hours of sleep but he was drunk on adrenaline and needed more. He peeled himself off of Klaus to reach for his discarded t-shirt on the floor. He then picked up the crop top Klaus had abandoned and threw it at him in the bed. “Thanks” Klaus says as he put it on before also vacating the bed. “Cute look” Dave says gesturing to Klaus’s still lack of pants. Klaus then sticks his tongue out at him again “You love this really” he then pointed to himself and yeah he was right Dave was loving this. He put his socks on before his pants which for some reason Dave found hilarious, and Dave felt he was definitely starring at too much as the other man tried to dress. When they were both dressed Klaus used his wristband to unlock the front door. “Ready” he says as he puts his hand out for Dave. 

“Ready” Dave agrees as he laces their fingers together.

For October Amsterdam was still quiet warm, not warm enough to go out in a cropped t-shirt though which Dave had known but Klaus was too stubborn. When he begins rubbing his hands up and down his arms Dave without a moment’s hesitation peels his own hoodie off and hands it to him. “You’ll freeze” Dave says as he proceeds to wrap it around Klaus’s shoulders. Klaus doesn’t object to the offering and Dave doesn’t say ‘I told you so’ even though he had suggested Klaus should wrap up more as they left the hotel. He was soon learning how stubborn Klaus Hargreeves could be. 

“Dave look! Giant clogs we have to get a picture in them!” Klaus gleefully exclaims pointing towards a theatrically large pair of clogs so big an entire person could stand in one shoe. “Bit cliché don’t you think” Dave laughed back at him and the ridiculously large shoes as Klaus was already hopping into one. “Davey don’t you dare disrespect me taking pride in my culture”.

Dave playfully rolled his eyes at the comment. “ Sir excuse me” Klaus says enthusiastically stopping a man on the street who also looked like a tourist “ Could you take a picture of us” Klaus says in a high pitched voice which Dave found insanely cute. The man chuckled “No bother pal you’ll take one of me and my girlfriend afterwards though?” Klaus gives a thumbs up “Why of course my good man”. 

Dave joined him in the other clog and wrapped his arm around Klaus’s waist and he felt Klaus rest his head on his good shoulder as the two of them smiled at the camera. “Beautiful” the man said as he went to hand the phone back.

“Hang on take one more!” Klaus quickly utters.

When the guy gave a nod for a second picture Klaus placed his hand on Dave’s cheek to invite him in for a kiss which Dave gladly leaned into. Even with their eyes closed they felt the flash of the camera. As they pulled away they noticed the girl next to the man grinning at them. “You guys are so cute, how long have you been together?” she asks. Dave chuckled as he scratched the back of his head, Klaus spoke before he got a chance too. “Maybe ten hours give or take” he proudly declared. Dave stepped out of the clog first putting his hand out to help Klaus. 

“We met on the flight here and well we haven’t been able to leave each other’s side” Dave further explained to the girl. She looks totally in awe as she places her hand over her heart dramatically “That’s so cute” she squeals “Gosh it’s like something from a movie”. Dave has to agree with her on that one, this was totally something that would happen in a Hallmark movie. The girl and her boyfriend get in the clogs and chose to also take a kissing picture which Klaus happily snapped for them. “Here you go cutie” he says as he gives the girl her phone back and the couple thanks them before they leave.

“Let’s take a look” Klaus happily chimes as he gets the picture up on his phone. Dave can’t help but grin at how good they look together. The shoulders of Dave’s hoodie drooped down on Klaus’s slender frame. They really do make a good looking pair though “Looks great” Dave happily chimes which Klaus nods to agree with. 

“I’m totally rocking your hoodie Davey dearest”

Klaus then swipes to the second picture and Dave’s heart swells. That’s him in the picture, that’s Dave Katz who was to afraid to come out, happily locking lips with a man. “We look hot” Klaus giggles.  
“Your damn right we do, c’mon though I’m really needing that waffle”

Klaus once again takes his hand as the two of them make their way across the street to a small cafe. “Lanskroon” Klaus reads aloud the name of the shop in an attempt at a Dutch accent which Dave has to smile at. The cafe is utterly adorable, very much a hole in the wall with only a few tables. Early 20th century décor too which adds to the charm of the place. As they make their way up to the counter Dave puts his hand on Klaus’s hip. 

“Pick whatever you like, I got it” he beams as Klaus literally looks like a child in a candy shop eyeing up all of the treats. This could be their first date and at glance it was very ordinary, two guys having a first date in a coffee shop. Then you through in the fact that it’s a whirlwind romance on the other side of the world though and it becomes spectacular. 

“I’ll have an Americano and a” he pauses as he tries to read the foreign word for waffle “a stroopwafel”.

The woman behind the counter laughs at him “Stroopwafels are very popular with the tourists” she says as she puts in the order. He turns to Klaus “Klaus dear, have you decided what you want?”

“I’ll have a waffle too but can I have nutella on mine, and oh can I have a hot cocoa instead of coffee”, Dave grins at his sweet toothed idiot “Grab a table while I pay”.

He finds Klaus tucked in the corner by the window. The sunlight gracing his face and making him look angelic. His hair looks lighter, his curls bouncier and there is a rose tint to his cheeks. Any of the patrons of the cafe could look up at that very moment and see a man totally awestruck and a man who had no idea. Klaus catches his glance and smiles back at him before looking down at his phone.

“I’ll drop your orders down when they’re ready if you want to sit down with your boyfriend and wait” the server says as she goes to the coffee machine. ‘Boyfriend? Wow!’ Dave thinks. The second time in the last few minutes they had been referred to as a couple and oh what Dave would give to be his boyfriend. The thought is in his mind as he slots himself across from Klaus at the little window seat.

Klaus suddenly erupts in laughter after looking at his phone.

“What’s so funny?” Dave reaches over pinching his giggling companion on the cheek.

He wipes a tear “it’s just I sent the picture of us into my group chat with my siblings and Diego wants to know how I managed to” he pauses to do air commas as he reads his brothers text message “ Abduct some poor guy already” he says it in a rough voice which only adds to his further giggling. “Diego totally talks like that by the way”. Klaus is about to say something else when his phone suddenly starts ringing “Oh crap its Allison” he says before his smile brightens “Davey lets introduce you to Ali”. 

Before Dave is fully aware of what is going on Klaus is pressing their chairs closer together and leaning into Dave as he hands him a single earphone. The wire is insanely tangled so they need to put their heads close together, Klaus answers before turning his camera on. 

“Klaus how are you kissing guys already it’s not even noon, and your flight landed like two hours ago” the woman on the screen groans. Dave recognises her from the picture Klaus had shown him on the flight but she is older and more glamorous. Still not as cute as her brother though.

Klaus begins laughing “What can I say Ali, I’m just that much of a catch I guess, and your just jealous that the boys like me better”. Dave has to giggle at the banter the siblings are having but also it makes him sad that he and Steph are never like this anymore. Maybe if he had come out at a young age and if she had had time to become accustomed to it, maybe then they would have a similar relationship to Klaus and Allison.

The woman on the screen rolls her eyes “Turn your camera on Klaus; I can hear whoever you are with giggling”. 

Without warning Klaus turns his camera on and Dave see’s his own face on Klaus’s phone. Klaus rests his head on Dave’s shoulder again as they both wait for a response.

“Oh shit you’re the kissing clog man” Allison laughs and Dave has to laugh awkwardly at the label he had been given.

“Allison, this is Brutus he is a Russian Art thief on the run, he’s wanted in Paris and Berlin, we met in the police station” Klaus states plainly, receiving a smile from Allison. “Klaus, you know anyone else and I would call bullshit but with you I wouldn’t even be surprised” she then pauses “It’s nice to meet you Brutus”.

Klaus then begins giggling again as Dave looks at him pleading for what to do next. He looks at the camera “Um Privet” he says, that’s Russian for hello right? This only leads to more laughing from the siblings and Klaus to give him a quick kiss on the cheek “Nice try” he says. Dave stares into his eyes for a moment before he remembers the woman watching them from the screen.

“I’m Dave by the way, sadly not an art thief, I sat next your brother on the plane and he’s told me tons about you”

Allison only grins further “Only good things I hope and I’m glad my brother has made a friend with as cute a face as you”

His cheeks start burning up with the compliment, the waitress putting he and Klaus’s orders in front of them breaks him free of the trance. 

“Well my darling Allison my snack is here and oh look the foods here too so I must bid you adieu” he blows a kiss at the screen as Allison rolls her eyes again. “Be good Klaus, nice to meet you Dave by the way”. Dave gives a wave back at the camera “You too Allison”, with that Klaus hangs up the phone.

“She sounds like a really sweet girl” Dave compliments, though it had only been a brief conversation she was so nice to him, not a trace of judgement and she was so quick to giggle with her brother. The two of them were adorable. Klaus smiles “Yeah, she is, she’s a pain in the ass when she steals my clothes though”.

Dave watches Klaus turn himself more towards him with his elbows resting gently on the table, he brings his face down to subtly rest it on the back of his hands with his fingers coming to meet under his chin “ Thanks for taking me on a date Davey baby” he grins.

“Oh the pleasure is completely mine” Dave brings his coffee to his lips “You know I’ve never been on a date with a boy before glad it get to be with one as cute as you”; the blush is again creeping up his cheeks. When did he get so love sick with the way he speaks? Klaus leans in to kiss the tip of his nose “Your too cute Dave”.

His date then begins digging into his chocolate covered waffle and Dave watches him lovingly. First he removes one of the strawberries eating it on its own before he gets to the star of the show. “ Christ on a cracker this is a good waffle, much better than the frozen ones, good job Amsterdam” he then catches the waitress laughing at him before he speaks to her “ Nice one Lanskroon” he praises as he gives her a thumbs up. 

“Daaaaaave eat up your missing out on this religious experience I’m having with my breakfast”

“Oh crap yes waffles” he says as he starts on his own and yeah it is a pretty good waffle. Dave had chosen the normal honey waffle never really being that much of a sweet toothed guy and it was still incredible. Albeit he may not have been having the religious experience Klaus Hargreeves was having.

“I think this is my favourite thing ever, and I mean it” Klaus praises as he continues which Dave has to laugh at. Klaus continues “Waffles have always been my favourite food ever and I think this is the best one I have had, Dave remind me to buy a life time supply of these”.

“You will laugh at my favourite food ever” Dave chuckles as he pauses his eating to take another sip of his black coffee. Klaus raises his eyebrows at him intrigued, “My favourite food in the entire world is a plain hamburger with two pickles”. Klaus doesn’t laugh at him which Dave is surprised by, Dave figured the information would make him seem boring, he already knew Klaus was a lot more colourful than him and this was just one of the examples where their lifestyles differed.

Klaus stretches his arms above his head and Dave’s larger hoodie gathers at his elbows as he moves his head into the stretch “I thought you were going to say something weird like raw eggs or something, which Luther totally does”. 

“Klaus I think you have enough sibling to have an anecdote for everything” Dave says playfully as he returns to his waffle. “You know what Dave you’re probably right, with our odd upbringing we ended up pretty strange and really close”. Klaus stares into Dave’s eye for a moment before a smile tugs at his lips and he takes a sip of his cocoa “Enough about me though tell me about you and Steph! Is she a Stephanie or a Stephania for starters”?

“She’s a Stephanie, hates it though, I think when we were kids we both decided we were too cool to use our full first names which our mom really hated” Dave laughs. Despite the differences he had with his sister and the secret he was keeping from her, he didn’t hate her. In fact he wanted to put work in and become close with her like they were when they were little again.  
“When we were really little” Dave begins “We used to sneak out on Shabbat and eat candy in the shed and spoil our dinner, my mom went ballistic” he grins at the memory. Without fail the two of them would manage to do it every Saturday, until their Dad passed away, it didn’t seem fun anymore after that. Maybe that was when he and Steph stopped being so close. “My mom is French” he adds “She moved to America when she was eighteen, my Dad was American though”.

Klaus perks up “Oh, how come you don’t have French citizenship then” he swipes whipped cream from the top of his mug, using his finger to put it into his mouth. Dave ponders the thought never really crossed his mind “ I don’t know, never really saw the point I mean this trip is my first time leaving America, and Steph is marrying an EU citizen so she is going to get Dutch citizenship so neither of us ever really paid it much notice”. He chuckles “ The point I was going to make though was if you ever think a strict American Mom is tough just imagine an angry French plus Mid Western woman, shits scary” he laughs. 

“My mom is a god send” Klaus beams “Although I think her and my dad would get along, god he can be a jerk”. Klaus leans across the table resting his face on the tips of his fingers again “he did some odd things too, he let us name my kid brother you know”. Klaus sips his hot chocolate again “Fuck this is good” he smiles before he continues. “When we were all ten he decided to get another kid and being the odd bastard he is he let us name him, was all ‘children this is your brother and I am trusting you to name him’, then legit left us alone with an infant”.

Dave’s forehead furrowed “He let a bunch of ten year olds name a baby”.

Klaus puts more whipped cream in his mouth “Yep and guess what we named him” Dave saw the devious smile spread across Klaus’s face as he waited for Dave to answer.

“Okay I’ll try be smart about this, he was born in 1999 right?” Klaus nods and Dave taps his fingers on the table as he thinks “Okay, I’m gonna say Dexter”. Klaus practically spits out his drink in Dave’s face as he begins laughing which Dave too has to smile at.

Klaus wipes a tear “ I applaud your logic sweet Dave because we did all like that show but no we sadly did not give him a name that normal, his name is Five The Boy Hargreeves”.

“ Five The Boy” Dave repeats shocked that some poor kid legally had that name and even more shocked that child protective services didn’t have a problem with it.

“Yep, what can I say though we all really digged an American Tail, he started off as Fieval, then Fieval the mouse, then Fieval the boy and eventually we decided he should have a cool name that nobody else had and became Five The Boy Hargreeves, like we really thought Dad was kidding about us naming him but dad honestly let us do that”.

“What a weird guy” Dave adds “My dad was great, I’m named after his dad but yeah he was an amazing father, I miss him a lot”. Dave quickly realises that he had not explicitly mentioned his father’s passing to Klaus and maybe he had over shared. Klaus stretches across the table taking Dave’s hand in his, similar to how he did on the flight and he rubs his thumb across the back of Dave’s hand. “He must have been a great guy if you look up to him so much” Klaus smiles before giving Dave a quick kiss on the cheek. Dave could cry at that very moment but he doesn’t instead he squeezes Klaus’s hand “Come on lets go explore Amsterdam”.

As the two of them make their way down the twisting cobbled alleyways hand in hand Dave cannot help but think what his Dad would think of him. If his dad had been alive would he have come out at fourteen like he wanted too, his dad had been one of the most accepting guys you would meet so much so that it baffled Dave that he put up with his moms bigoted views. When Dave’s dad had died when he was eleven he felt he lost a part of himself as well. When he realised he wasn’t straight he just wanted to talk to his dad about it, but he couldn’t. He looks down at his hand though laced with the most beautiful guy ever and maybe it was okay, he knew his dad would have accepted him and who he chose to love and that was okay.

“It's so beautiful here” Dave says as they pass charming red brick buildings “When I took European architecture modules, I always loved the Dutch style”. Klaus pauses their walk so he too can look up at the buildings “Dave, I’m awful I never asked what you do”.

Dave laughs because they had discussed in depth their families, and trauma from their past but neither of them had thought to ask what the other did, maybe they were both disasters. “I did an undergrad in architecture and I just did my masters in furniture design, what about you?” Klaus grins at him “Why me, I only have a sexy degree in botany” he bats his eyelashes as he says it. Klaus leans in close to Dave’s ear before whispering “Came in really handy when I grew weed amongst my dissertation plants in my dad’s greenhouse and he had no clue”. 

Dave grins as he brings his hands up to Klaus’s face, combing his hair through his fingers “Klaus Hargreeves, you little criminal, good thing I find that insanely attractive”. Dave then pulls him in for a kiss which Klaus gladly leans into “Hmm Davey, what do you say we find a “he pauses and raises his fingers to make air commas “Coffee shop”. Dave giggles “Hmm I don’t know I did already have coffee today”. Klaus then playfully hits his arm “I’m sure they have other things” he then gives Dave a quick kiss before they continue their walk, this time with purpose.

Turns out in Amsterdam, especially in the tourist areas coffee shops are as easily come by as bars and that is how Dave found himself in an establishment he never imagined himself visiting. Klaus however seemed in his element as he ordered for the two of them, also insisting that he pay since Dave had bought the breakfast. He bought his date cocoa and waffles and now his date was buying him weed, what an interesting day.

This wouldn’t be Dave’s first time trying it, Cheryl got some off a friend once and the two of them ended up in a coughing fit, hopefully this would not have the same outcome. He really didn’t want to embarrass himself. “Daavey baaaby” Klaus purred as he joined Dave sitting on the grass outside the store, he then dumped his loot out in front of him. “I got us a pick and mix” he giggled.

Dave nodded; he didn’t really know the different kinds of weed but judging from the smile Klaus had as he inspected their loot he seemed to be a bit of an expert. He brings one of the bags up so Dave can inspect it, “Do you know how to roll” Klaus asks. Dave has to spit out laughing at this, him knowing how to roll, hilarious. Klaus smiles at him “I can teach you”, his voice sounded sweet and excited, and who was Dave to deprive him of this satisfaction. “Okey dokey, teach me how” he grins. Giggling Klaus slots himself between Dave’s legs so they can both observe the mechanism at the same angle. “I’ll go first so you can see what I’m doing and then I’ll talk you through your one”. Dave then slots his face over Klaus’s shoulder to observe the intricate task.

On Dave’s third attempt something resembling a joint finally comes into existence, he is proud to say the least. Klaus giggles as he eyes up Dave’s handy work “ She’s a bit of a body bag but she’ll do” he laughs before turning his head to kiss Dave’s cheek “ Well done baby, we’ll have yours first”.

As they are comfortably sitting in the grass against a wall for support, Klaus leaning into his chest and his arms wrapped around Klaus’s waist Dave feels so relaxed. With Dave’s proudly rolled joint in his lips Klaus lights it. He spends a few seconds inhaling it before passing it above his shoulder to Dave. Keeping one arm wrapped around Klaus’s waist he takes the joint from him bringing it to his own lips. Dave hopes he doesn’t have a repeat of the last time he smoked weed, the last thing he wants in this moment is to cough and embarrass himself, he takes one small inhale breathing it out slowly, the grey smoke ghosting over Klaus’s shoulder.

“ Well done dearest” Klaus jokes he twists himself slightly in Dave’s grasp “ try take it in slowly though this time bring it right down into your lungs like this” he takes it back from Dave and demonstrate the slow inhalation and allowing it to settle for a few seconds before releasing the smoke. ‘Wow’ is all Dave thinks as he is in total awe of how attracted he is to him as he watches him smoke, the way his mouth curls around it and the smile he gives Dave as he exhales. Dave is sure Klaus must recognise how smitten he is, the pink blush that must be creeping up his cheek. Klaus returns the joint to him and he tries again, remarkably doing it without coughing. “You’re a really good teacher Hargreeves” Dave jokes between pulls. This only causes Klaus to giggle more “What can I say Davey call me Dr. Klaus the Pot Professor”. 

Dave pulls him in closer to kiss his neck before giggling “Well you do have a Botany B.S are you that far off”. ‘Good thing this is Amsterdam’ Dave thinks, not only is he engaging in more P.D.A then he had ever done before but nobody around them is even reacting to it. All around them are groups of friends and couples, most of whom are probably tourists. All so in their own moments they allow Dave and Klaus to seldom engage in this moment. Klaus moves himself onto his knees so he can hold Dave’s face before leaning in to kiss his lips. The kiss is deep and Dave can taste the smoke on his breath, pulling out of the kiss Klaus takes the joint from Dave’s fingers and takes a pull “ Davey, I have so much to teach you” he grins.

After four joints, each a different kind Dave is lying in the grass holding Klaus’s hand with a massive smile on his face. He had never been high before and the feeling was so new and different, he was glad to have Klaus lying beside him as he fought the wave of giggles. He hadn’t even know the different kinds of weed but turns out Klaus was a great teacher, explaining to him not only the different kinds but the different effects and making him a master of rolling. Turns out Dave gets the giggles though, which made Klaus giggle. The two of them if anywhere else would have looked ridiculous but Dave looks up from his spot in the grass to see tons of others in the exact same state as he and Klaus, so unashamedly happy.

He leans onto his side “ Klaus!”, his companion leans over too so they are now no longer on their backs but facing each other “ Hmm” he says. ‘Holy Shit he is beautiful’ Dave thinks as he looks at Klaus’s glassy eyes and the twitchy smile that’s gracing his face. “You’re so pretty” Dave says, at least this time he had the high to blame for his bluntness, it’s the truth though. Klaus gives him a full toothed smile “Tell me something I don’t know” he jokes. 

Dave pauses for a moment, his eyes glancing up so he can think before the perfect thought comes to him “Ummm I thought Anne Hathaway and Jennifer Garner were the same person until I was nineteen”

The corners of Klaus’s eyes crinkle before he burst out laughing “What are you talking about Dave” he spits out between giggles.

“You said tell you something you didn’t know; I bet you didn’t know I just thought she was a single woman with range”. Dave says with dead seriousness, this only furthers Klaus’s laughing fit. Dave can’t help but think it’s one of the most beautiful things he has ever seen, the way his eyes crinkle when he laughs. Klaus moves so he is hovering above Dave, his knee wedges between Dave’s legs and he pins his hands at the side of Dave’s face.

“You David Katz are the cutest thing I have seen in my life”

As Dave stares into Klaus’s eyes all he can do is thank Anne Hathaway and Jennifer Garner, and before Dave knows it they are kissing again.

Turns out they could only do this for so long though before Dave was fighting hunger, he breaks him and Klaus’s kiss “Can we get food”. Klaus pouts “But I already have a snack”. Dave has to smile at how cute he is being “I know, I know but c’mon I need food food not just a cute guy that I could eat right up”. Rolling his eyes Klaus moves off of Dave “Fine, but if it were up to me we would keep this up”. Dave grins at him “Don’t worry we will have plenty more of this later”. Klaus stands first and puts his arm out to help Dave up. Dave is glad of it because his shoulder is starting to give him discomfort.

As they both stand together once more Dave takes Klaus’s hand in his “Thank you baby now c’mon lets go get food” he pauses to laugh “it can be our third date”. 

Walking down the street looking for a restaurant, or a cafe or anywhere really Dave is not fussy something catches his eye. It’s a small white building, with a window display that makes it look like a cute little place you would see in rural Missouri where he is from. The display alone is what catches Dave’s attention but then he sees what kind of establishment it is. “Klaus look a cheese store! We have to check it out!” he grins as he pulls Klaus’s hand in the direction of the store. This only gets him a giggle from Klaus “If you insist petal” he says.

At the door they are greeted by a young man who Dave hopes cannot tell how high the two of them are. Do grinning idiots holding hands often dash into cheese shops? Perhaps yes in Amsterdam. He gives them both tooth picks “Please feel free to sample our selection of cheeses” he says. This only causes Dave’s grin to double he turns to Klaus “I seriously love cheese!” 

“Maybe you are going to have the religious experience I had with the waffle this morning” Klaus jokes. Dave with all seriousness turns to him “I would not even be surprised”. They both then begin sampling the cheeses, poking their tooth picks in and feeding them to each other. It was surprising nobody kicked them out with how giggly they were. Dave is about to poke a new sample when he feels his hand being swatted away, with pleading eyes he looks to Klaus “Why though”. 

“Dave darling, you have been picking before reading unlike myself and you sir were about to eat bacon”

Dave’s mouth forms into an o as he nods “Gosh Klaus what would I do without you” he then pokes up that same cheese putting it into Klaus’s mouth “Tell me if it’s good at least”. Holding up a finger Klaus pauses him as he chews before sticking his tongue out “ Disgusting your not missing out” he says, although Dave feels he is lying which if he is, it’s pretty cute.

They end up looping the entire shop before they see a stairwell leading to a cheese museum. Bellow the shop is a tiny room with information on cheese making but that’s not what made the venture worthwhile. Tucked in the corner is a photo booth, a photo booth with props. Both squealing over to it Klaus picks up one of the floppy milkmaid bonnets “How do I look” he jokes. “Hmm good” Dave then puts one on too “But not as good as me” they both then erupt laughing.

They vacate the shop with numerous ridiculous Polaroid’s of themselves as well as artisan cheese which Dave just could not resist buying. They were just as giggly as they were when they went in and Dave could not stop smiling, that was only partially due to the high, and the main reason was definitely Klaus.

“I think that’s the most laughing I have ever done in my life” he says, Klaus then turns to him “That’s just because you haven’t been spending enough time with me these last twenty two years”. Dave has to agree with him on that one, Klaus just has this aura to him that lights up the room. He would have loved to have had the brightness around all these years. Dave laces their fingers together again “C’mon we were supposed to be exploring”.

After wandering the streets aimlessly Dave had suggested they be total tourists and take one of the canal tours, plus it would allow them to just rest and be together. He wraps his arms around Klaus’s slender frame as he cuddles into him, Klaus has his arms around Dave’s core and they are making it impossible to be any closer. He rubs Klaus’s back, he must be tired the poor guy has had an hour’s rest since he left his own home and they had done so much together. This was nice though they could just be together at the back of the barge for the next hour cuddling into one another.

The browning trees against the red brick building brought Dave to complete awe and he could not believe how beautiful this city is. In addition to that he could not believe that had he not been in his accident he would not be here right now with Klaus Hargreeves. He would be in Schiedam with his family, he wouldn’t know the feeling of tasting tequila on a man’s lips, he wouldn’t have laughed so hard it pained his ribs and he certainly would not be so happy. Klaus stirs before looking up at him “Am I hurting your shoulder” he asks quietly. 

“Nah, you’ve gotten good at lying on my good side”

Klaus sits up smiling “That’s just how compatible we are Dave”.

Dave knows he is only cracking jokes but he believes him. Klaus leans back more into the seat as he gazes up at the buildings “I get why you’re a building geek by the way Dave it is insanely pretty here”. Dave thinks about saying something tacky like its only pretty because Klaus is here but he decides he has become much to sober for that. He smiles down at his partner though and he just looks so cute. “I love architecture so much, like look at these buildings they were only possible due to the Dutch Golden Age that allowed wealthy merchants to buy them, and that could be it but then they are still here like think of all the history that’s soaked into these buildings since then, it’s just amazing to me how buildings are just living history”. Dave cringes maybe he is blabbing too much, he does really love buildings though. He notices Klaus smiling up at him.

“David Katz, I love it when you talk dirty to me”

Dave groans “Ugh, stop making fun of me”; Dave then buries his face into Klaus’s shoulder as he feels the blush creeping up his face.

Klaus begins playing with his hair and he couldn’t stop smiling at how good it felt, he had been doing this to Klaus all day and he suddenly understood why Klaus was responding so well to it. He looks up his face inches from Klaus’s face as Klaus says “I’m not making fun of you, your being sweet but answer me, for a man so horny about buildings why did you do masters in furniture”

Dave pauses for a moment trying to think of the best way to explain himself, choosing to master in furniture rather than architecture was not a decision he had taken lightly but he knew he had made the right decision.“ I get infatuated too easily I mean, a building takes years to come to be and you need to stay with the rigidness design, you don’t get the spontaneity. I want to just wake up some mornings and think you know what I want, a three legged copper chair and then just do it”

“Oh Dave are we a handy man in addition to an artist” Klaus purrs before leaning in closer to him.

Dave smiles “ You kinda gotta be, I mean the best designers are going to be creating too and I have to give thanks to my uncle Brian for that, He’s a homophobic dick don’t get me wrong but he taught me how to wood and iron work, hey is that ironic ?”

Klaus laughs “Look at you with your jokes, but yeah your homophobic uncle teaching a young gay man to wood work is pretty funny”

Dave pouts “ I mean not that he knows or anything, but really how could he not realise I remember one summer I kept suggesting mamie pink paint to nearly every customer looking for recommendations, but imagine me introducing him to a guy, like imagine it, me and you show up in his hardware store and I say..”. Klaus’s finger is suddenly being pushed up to Dave’s lips again as he is in a fit of giggles “ Please let me fill in the dialogue, Dave please” he manages to get out between giggles.

Dave stretches his arm out behind him as he to smiles at the giddiness, “okay if you think you can be more funny than me go for it”

Klaus takes a deep breath in “Okay you say Ryan”

“Brian” Dave corrects.

Klaus gives him a thumbs up before continuing “You say Brian, ‘remember all those times you taught me how to be a master woodworker’ and then Brian will nod or something like that and then you put your hand out and I saunter in, in only my best Sunday dress mind you, and you say ‘Well this is Klaus Hargreeves and he has to compliment your teachings”. Dave is then the one who can’t stop laughing “I think you’ll just make him think your some fancy interior designer I don’t think he would get it” Dave laughs as he too wipes a tear. 

Klaus grins deviously “Well then Dave we will just have to make out against the paint or something, that’ll show him”.

Combing his fingers through Klaus’s hair between giggles “Yeah we’ll show him”.

Coming down from their laughter they both ease back into their seats, silently holding one another as they sit back and admire the scenery. He can’t help but wonder how much thought there was to Klaus’s idea of the two of them together in his uncle’s store in Dallas, could Klaus see the two of them still together because he definitely could. If that was what Klaus wanted he would gladly make out with him in front of Uncle Brian. He looks down at Klaus who was admiring the buildings again and he decided to stop dwelling on the future and just be with him. Maybe Klaus was his three legged chair, woke up one morning not knowing he needed it before going to sleep but he’s here now and Dave was in awe.

Klaus notices him staring at him “What you thinking about Davey?”

Dave smiles at him looking starry eyes “Nothing just that you’re my three legged chair, individual and not like anyone else I have ever seen but amazing”.

Klaus then gives him a kiss on the cheek “That’s one of the oddest compliments I have ever gotten Dave, but thank you”.

After the canal tour ended and they were docked Dave decided the cheese spree from earlier was no way a substantial meal and they needed to eat. 

“Want to go on our fourth date?” he jokes as Klaus stretches his legs; he’s a lanky guy so the barge may have been pretty uncomfortable for him. “Hmm four dates, Dave you have just taken the tier as the individual I have had the most dates with”. Dave grins “A guy as pretty as you, I find that hard to believe”. Seriously though he was such an amazing person how could he not have had more than three dates before.

Klaus looks at him “Hey maybe I’m just fussy about who gets the privilege of a fourth date with me”. 

“Well I’m glad I get to be the one” Dave beams before linking their arms “That Italian place over there looks cool let’s check it out”.

They are just sat at the table when a look of shock takes over Klaus’s face “Oh my god that’s Patrick Ballina“he says as he eyes a group of men sitting a few tables behind them. Dave looks over as a group of Americans are being obnoxiously loud.

“Should I know who that is?” Dave laughs, wondering if this is some pseudo celebrity that he is too Midwest to understand.  
Klaus stretches out his hands once again revealing his tattoos, Dave notes to remind himself to ask about them later. Klaus meets his gaze“No he’s Allison’s ex, this is crazy small world right”

Dave nods, he wonders if this is the boy Klaus mentioned making out with before he remember that that was his other sisters date “ Are you going to say hi ?”.

“ Nah I never even met him, I just know him from her stories about him insisting on spending more time with this friends than her, crap I wish my phone wasn’t dead I would totally send her a picture of this”

“You can use my phone” Dave grabs his phone from his pocket sliding it across the table, “log in if you want”. Klaus smiles at him “Thanks so much, ugh we are going to get such a laugh off of this”. Klaus spends a few moments snapping the picture which Dave is sure he must be part of before he sends it off to Allison. When Klaus gives him his phone back he notices that this is the first time he had looked at it since calling his mom earlier that morning. More so Dave notices the time 7.15 p.m. How had it gotten so late, in fairness they did probably spend a lot of time just giggling around the streets high. Dave gulps, his train is at 9.30 from the central station, just over two more hours. 

Food is placed in front of them and Dave rests his elbow on the table and uses his arm to prop his face up as we watches Klaus, he is slurping spaghetti very ungracefully but it’s insanely cute. Dave wonders if he is still feeling high despite it being so many hours ago when they were lying on that grass outside the coffee shop. Had they not met Dave would probably have just spend today sleeping off his jet lag. Klaus waves a fork in front of him grabbing his attention.

“You wanna try some of this, it’s amazing and I ordered kosher and everything”

Dave’s heart swells; it was such a simple action but so thoughtful, he puts his hand on his heart “You ordered kosher just so you can let me try some”. The words are coming out of him in a mixture of shock and glee.

“Dave your acting like I’m presenting you the heart of the ocean not a spoon of my tagliatelle”

Dave shakes his head “ No its the thought of it, like you didn’t need to order kosher for me, I don’t think anybody has ever so nonchalantly thought of me and my beliefs and its fucking amazing Klaus”. The whole restaurant must have been able to see his grin but it’s only for Klaus.

Klaus just laughs “Well I was trying to cut down on my pig products anyways but yeah I did think of you” he pauses before shovelling the fork into Dave’s face again “But seriously try this, it’s amazing”.

Dave wishes the dinner could last forever, wishes the ice cream sundae which they shared could have been bottomless allowing them to just live in that moment forever. Though they weren’t high anymore the act of shoving ice cream into each other mouths between giggles brought such glee to his face. Dave wondered if any of the restaurant patrons noticed how in awe they were of each other, or if they questioned why these two grown men were behaving like love sick middle schoolers. Not that he cared, he was just curious. So now after they had returned to the hotel to gets his case and they stood in the central station together he felt broken.

They stand together in the main foyer of the station as he clutches his case, the case that had presumably been in Croatia not tucked in Klaus’s hotel. He fiddles with his train ticket in his hands and just looks at Klaus who is standing in front of him, hands in his pockets balancing nervously on his heels. Dave swallows and nods as tears begin forming in his eyes, Klaus must have noticed immediately because no sooner than they crept onto his face Klaus’s finger are there wiping them away. Tentatively Klaus pushes Dave’s face onto his shoulder and he allows the few tears to fall. He laughs nervously “Am I crazy, I mean we’ve only known each other a day and its actually breaking me the thought of leaving you and having to deal with my mom it’s just ugh”.

Klaus lifts Dave’s face off his shoulder so he can look at him, he keep his hands at the nape of Dave’s neck as he plays with the short hair “ I think we are both crazy Dave because I feel the same”. Dave leans into his touch so their foreheads can then press together and a slight smile then graces his lips. He really cannot believe the feelings he is experiencing after only 20 hours in the presence of Klaus Hargreeves, he knew he would never be the same again after meeting this man. Giving Klaus a quick kiss he smiles “I’ll see you again right, my flight home isn’t until Tuesday and I will see you before then”. 

Klaus giggles “Of fucking course you will Davey baby, how could I not want to see this cute face again”. He then leans in to pinch Dave’s cheek before kissing the tip of his nose. Dave nods “I have your number I’ll call you later”.

Klaus also looks like he is about to cry and Dave just can’t believe the day they have had. He is holding Klaus’s hands and nodding as he tries to get a hold of himself. “My train leaves in 15 minutes I should find the platform”. Gulping himself Klaus nods “Yeah, you should”. 

Before turning away Dave pulls Klaus into him pressing their lips together once more, this wasn’t a goodbye this was definitely a see you later. That didn’t mean it didn’t hurt though, Klaus had wrapped his arms around his neck to deepend the kiss and he pulled him in close “Stop it, I’ll never leave” Dave jokes as he breaks the kiss.

Klaus grins looking up “Well Dave maybe I wanted that”. Grinning Dave nods at him “Okay, I really need to go, I’ll see you soon”.

When Klaus gives him an acknowledging smile he presses his ticket to the gate, this was where they parted. Klaus held onto his hand until he was on the other side of the gate and it truly broke him to break the contact, the tears were swelling both his and Klaus’s eyes. Seriously when did he become such an emotional mush? 

“See you soon Davey baby” Klaus calls to him.

He smiles “See you soon Klaus darling” he then blows him a kiss before climbing onto the escalator and losing his view of him.

As he settles into his seat on the Rotterdam bound train he wipes the few remaining tears from his eyes. In two hours he would be with his mother, he would need to ignore this amazing day. As far as his mother was concerned he had slept all day in an airport hotel while he waited for his suitcase to arrive. He checks his phone to see text from Steph.

-Mom says turn your live location on, so she can see when your train gets in-

He rolls his eyes, his mother had insisted on this live location app when they found out he would be travelling to the wedding alone. He was glad she had believed him that morning and not insisted he had his location on all day, that being said he could have just left his phone in Klaus’s bed and she would be none the wiser.

Putting his earphones in he tries to ignore his surroundings, seeing his mother was going to be a massive chore. He would do it though for Steph’s sake.

His mom meets him in the station, looking annoyed. She always seems to look like that though. Dave see’s her from across the station and waves at her; she doesn’t smile at him only giving him an acknowledging nod. 

“Hello David, I’m glad to see you arrived safely” she says. She looks down at his black suitcase “And this is the case that caused all of the trouble” she adds. Dave had made sure to remove all of the airport tags from the case, just for in case she decided to poke holes in his lie.

“Yes Mom, but I got it no bother” he adds as he nervously smiles.

She scowls at it “Well that’s said and done, come David I’ll show you where you’ll be staying”.

They walk quietly down the street as it starts to rain “ You’ll be staying with Stephanie’s fiancé and his friends, they rented a house in town for the few days we are here, myself and Stephanie are staying in a hotel together” his mother says without looking at him. 

“Oh well that’s good” Dave says. His mother just nods.

After only a few minutes walking they arrive at a cute red brick house on the canal “Drop yours bags inside David, you’re having dinner with Stephanie and I, we very kindly waited for you to arrive, and put on a nice shirt, that t-shirt is awful”.

Dave gives his mother a nod before disappearing into the house, nobody else seems to be home and he assumes Maccus, Stephanie’s fiancé and his friends must have went out themselves. Quickly changing he meets his mother in the hallway and the two leave for what will probably be a painful dinner.

The dinner wasn’t actually awful, it was nice seeing how excited Stephanie was to get married and he was happy for her. He had only met her fiancé Maccus a handful of times but the way she spoke about him at the dinner he understood why she was so in love with him they guy sounded so nice. He could think of a more amazing guy though. Perhaps a good thing about his mother however was she was efficient, immediately after dinner ended she sent him back to the house so that he could rest. He really did need to sleep; it had been a long day.

As he vacates the shower in the rental house and enters his room he notices he is still the only person home, Maccus and his friends must really be partying he laughs. Suddenly his phone beeps with a text.

-Hey question? Does your room have a canal view?-

He smiles at the message, how cute of Klaus to think to text him; he misses him and wishes he could have him. His texts back immediately.

-Yeah! Ground floor though so not as great of a view-

Klaus texts him back instantaneously

-Okay cool-  
He thinks it’s a weird response but Klaus had been really into the canals earlier in Amsterdam, maybe he just wanted to make sure Dave had a scenic view. Still Dave thinks it was an odd question to ask, Klaus was a quirky guy though. He changes into pyjama bottom, as he goes to hang his shirt up a tapping suddenly startles him, ‘ what the hell’ Dave thinks as he goes to open the partially closed curtains to see what’s going on, his jaw hits the floor.

Standing at his window, a cocky grin gracing his face, still wearing Dave’s hoodie and hair windswept and wet from the now gloomy weather is Klaus. His Klaus.

“Hey Davey baby” he grins as he waves his hello hand.

At first Dave doesn’t know what to do or what to say, he is in total shock.

In the best kind of way.

The rain is pouring and he swings the window open pulling Klaus in by his hoodie “What are you doing here” he says as a massive grin takes over his face. Before Klaus can answer he is pulling him closer “Climb in, you’ll get soaked”. Without hesitating Klaus climbs onto the windowsill to climb through as Dave holds onto his chest to try keep him still. The force of it however leads to the two of them falling backwards onto the bed; thankfully the bed was against the window otherwise they would be hitting the floor.

As he lies on his back, a soaking wet Klaus pressed into him he can’t help but laugh. 

“Seriously, not that I am not over the moon but what are you doing here” he says as he starts combing his hand through Klaus’s wet hair.

“Dave, I had to give you your hoodie back” he beams as he looks down at him. He then presses their lips together, giggling as he peppers kisses across Dave’s entire face.

“I know we said we would see each other soon but I didn’t think it would be this soon” Dave laughs out.

Klaus giggles “What can I say, it took me all of thirty minutes to realise how much I missed you”

“How did you find me though?” Dave asks, he had told Klaus that he was staying in Schiedam which was outside Rotterdam when they were at the station but that was it, hell up until he arrived at the house he didn’t even know where he was staying.

Klaus scratches behind his head nervously, a slight blush colouring his cheeks“ Oh, umm you may think I’m a stalker but I accidently left my email logged in on your phone and you have a live location turned on so it alerted me of the location”

Dave grins at him “And what you saw the location and then jumped on the Sprinter train here?”

Klaus laughs nervously “Well I went back and got like a backpack first not that I’m being presumptuous, I just wanted to see you and you don’t think I’m crazy do you?” Dave silences him kissing him again, not that he didn’t find the rambling adorable.

“If you weren’t so cute maybe I would think this is weird as hell” Dave laughs before he kisses him again “I’m so glad you’re here though”.

After giving Klaus a towel to dry himself off, he finds himself in bed Klaus curled into him. This was perfect, this was where he belonged. Klaus had once again fallen asleep immediately so he just smiled down at him. Tomorrow he would need to think of a way to hide him but that was tomorrow’s problem for now they could just be together and that was perfect.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic is now longer than my thesis and its only two chapters in can ya'll believe !! So a bit about me I actually lived in Schiedam in the Netherlands for a bit and I always thought it would be such a cute location for a wedding. As well as that the cafe and the coffee shop mentioned in this story are real places in Amsterdam and Lanskroon does make the best Stroopwafels, if you have never had one I would totally recommend it, they are unreal. I really cannot believe I wrote 10,000 words of fluff but I hope you enjoy this cutey chapter before the plot gets driving. I was so excited I posted this without checking so if you see mistakes let me know. Also thank you to everybody who commented on the first chapter, comments seriously bring such a smile to my face!!
> 
> xoxo  
> Naomi


	3. The Playboy Bunny

Once again Dave woke first, finally able to stop fighting jet lag he and Klaus had passed out into deep sleep almost immediately. He considered closing his eyes and falling back asleep when Klaus’s fluttering eyes jolted him.

“Dave you’re up!” he exclaims as he uses the headboard to push himself up from Dave’s chest. He then gives Dave a kiss on the lips which Dave could definitely get used to first thing in the morning.

He has such a large grin on his face that Dave cannot help the one taking over his own. “Sure am baby, why you been waiting long for me” he strokes Klaus’s cheek and admires how cute he is in the mornings. 

Klaus nods “Uh huh, for like the last hour, it’s after 1 by the way, you Dave Katz were a sleepy boy”. 

Dave laughs as he stretches out his arms behind his head, trying to fully wake his body; Klaus meanwhile is sitting up, the blankets gathering around his waist. Catching his gaze Dave asks the question that has been on his mind since the night before.

“Klaus, I have to ask, why didn’t you just ask me where I was instead of the email stalking, not that I have a problem with you here, it’s just you could have saved yourself tons of bother”.

“Yeah Ben said that too but where’s the drama in that”.

Dave rolls his eyes “Yeah I guess that’s true and you do love your theatrics”.

Shrugging Klaus adds “Hey I know what I am and I do love a bit of drama”. 

Smiling Dave gives him a quick kiss on the cheek “I’ll be right back, I’m gonna run store and get us some breakfast” he then vacates the bed to find something to wear.

Klaus responds by snuggling further into the blankets “Okay but don’t be too long, I don’t want the bed getting cold”. He pulls the blankets up to his chin so that only his face peaks out; his curls even more unruly in the morning were probably not aided by Dave’s infatuation with running his hands through them. 

“You look like a cute stamp” Dave jokes as he pats him on the head, this only causes Klaus to laugh 

“If we are making post jokes can I be marked ‘fragile handle with care’?” he says while batting his eyelashes.

Dave side eyes him “You would be marked ‘high quality goods’ ”.

Klaus then wiggles his eyebrows with him “Why of course Davey, just as long as I’m not marked ‘ do not bend’ because I can be quite the acrobat” he then shows Dave that devilish grin again which he just has to smile at. 

He really cannot fathom Klaus, his energy especially after just waking up is addicting, if he could have this much fun every morning there was no explaining how happy of a man he would be. Dave then thought, this was only his third day of knowing Klaus Hargreeves and he wanted to wake up next to him for the rest of his life. Dave was falling in love; head over heels he just knew it. He gives Klaus a grin before he tucks the blankets tightly around him to make sure he stays warm and cosy. He gives him a sweet kiss on the head as he heads for the door.

Before leaving he sticks his head back into the room to see Klaus has once again closed his eyes “Darling I’ll be swiftly making my way back to you” he adds on his way out.

He’s only a few minutes out the door and gleefully marching down the street in a world of his own when he spots her, petite form and short blonde hair which she has pinned to the side. She’s so tiny she looks like her coat is swallowing her and her face sans makeup and combined with her dark rimmed glasses makes her look youthful. He hasn’t seen her in five months. She catches his glance just as she goes to cross the street.

“Dave” she says as a light glint catches in her eye.

He raises his hand to wave and give her a polite smile “Cheryl good to see you”.

He had not seen her since the day of their breakup, which was also a few days following his car crash. 

The days before they broke up he had woke up in hospital to a range of machines beeping around him, he had no idea how he was in hospital and had a very scattered memory of what led to him being in there. His legs hurt, as did his arm and shoulder, he had a pulsing headache. Everything just felt off, and then he saw Cheryl. 

Her chair was pushed right up to the side of his bed and she was looking down at him with red puffy eyes. Her hair which was usually masterfully styled prim and proper looked greasy and dishevelled as if she had been running her hands repeatedly through it. She was wearing his college sweatshirt and yoga pants. These were clothes she usually lounged around the apartment in, how long had he been here? He meets her gaze just as shock takes over her entire face and she begins sobbing.

“Dave I thought you were going to die, I thought I lost you” she wept out as she reached for his hand grabbing it tightly. She squeezed hard and he wanted to tell her that it hurt but he also understood the stress she must be under. Once her emotions seemed in check she released his hand “Do you know where you are Dave” he looked around his room it was obvious where he was.

“I’m in the hospital” Dave stated plainly.

Cheryl had looked pleased with the answer “Yes, Well done, they said you would be confused when you woke up but I told them never you” she was rambling, Dave had never seen Cheryl look so unfocused. She composed herself “I’m going to go tell the nurse that you’re awake and call your mother and Steph, everyone’s worried sick”. Dave had trouble believing his mother would be emotional enough to worry about him. If anything he figured his mother would blame him for the accident, and Steph she was up to her eyes in wedding planning this would be the last thing she would want to hear.

Two days later after being cleared from hospital they were sitting in Cheryl’s apartment at her insistence that she keep an eye on him and that they shouldn’t bother his roommate Elliot. 

“It really makes you think doesn’t it Dave” she said as she waited for the kettle to boil. She leaned against the kitchen counter beside their two awaiting mugs. Dave was not really sure what she was talking about as he looked up at her from the kitchen table. 

“Makes you think about what” he asked confused, he wasn’t concussed but he was tired so maybe he was missing something obvious as to what was going on. By this stage the kettle had boiled and Cheryl was fixing both of their teas with her back to him as she spoke. “About everything Dave, how easily disasters happen, our own mortality and looking at it with two eyes and thinking what’s done and what was never done”. 

She placed the cup of tea and a sandwich in front of him before joining him at the kitchen table, her own supper in hand. She took off her glasses and wipes them on the sleeve of her sweatshirt “I thought you were going to die Dave, I thought I was going to lose you and I just could not shake the feeling of what we never got to do”.

Dave stared at her or maybe he was staring through her as he began going through an epiphany of his own. He was not bisexual no matter how much he wanted to convince himself that he was, and no matter how much he wanted to convince the world he was straight. Cheryl was right, he could have died and he would have died with nobody knowing who he truly was. He would have died without knowing love, without feeling the love for being himself. He stressfully combed his hand through his own hair. He was hungry but he could not stomach the idea of eating the sandwich. He was totally freaking out.

Cheryl looked up at him looking both worried and understanding “So you agree Dave” she said. He had to blink at her a few times, had she been talking? He hadn’t been listening as he got totally lost in his own head. Cheryl took a sip of her tea, Dave did the same feeling it would ground him. Cheryl lay her hands flat on the table “Dave we have been together over four years, we obviously love each other I think this was a wakeup call as to how fast that can be taken away, we both just finished our undergrads, we need to move forward Dave, we need to progress in our relationship” she stresses “Plus we both know how cute our babies are going to be” she says with a large grin.

It takes Dave a few seconds to comprehend what she was saying and this information was all so much it was making his head hurt“ You want me to propose and have kids?”

A large grin took over her face “Yeah Dave, I know how panicky and nervous you can get so I thought I would let you be sure that that’s what I want and I know you keep Grandma Katz’s ring in your dresser, which I know she was a big lady so I made an appointment resize it for me, we can do this Dave it would be so romantic and we could..” Cheryl had a massive smile on her face and tapped her teacup as she rambled. Dave wondered how long she had been thinking like this and planning the rest of their life, when had she made an appointment to have his grandma’s ring resized?

“No” he interrupted as he shook his head.

“No?” she added looking caught off guard.

He shook his head running his hand through his hair “No Cheryl, no I’m not proposing, Cheryl I’m only out of the hospital a few hours and you are thrusting all these expectations on me, No that’s not what I want”

Cheryl faced turned sour “You mean you never want to propose to me Dave or just not today, what is it Dave”.

Dave inhales, he had not imagined that that day would turn out like that; Cheryl was right though he could have died and he would never know his true self. He couldn’t come out to her; he was by no means ready for that but if she was expecting a proposal and children he needed to let her know that he couldn’t give her that. Her eyes pierced into him as he tried to select his words carefully “Cheryl, I won’t ever want to propose to you, I can’t have kids with you, I just can’t and I think your right today made me realise our mortality and if we want different things I don’t really see.”

“Fuck you Dave, fuck you, you what? You have commitment issues?, we have been together four years Dave, you’re the only guy I have ever loved Dave and what you want to throw that all away?” She stands up from the table as she began pacing around the kitchen. He felt bad for her, he really did and he knew she thought she loved him, he didn’t love her though and she needed to know that.

She pushes her hand through her hair once more, “I get it your tired so I’m going to go to Starbucks for an hour or so and you can gather your thoughts okay? She doesn’t say anything more or give Dave a chance to reply before her purse is thrown over her shoulder and she is slamming the door on her way out.

When she’s gone tears filled Dave’s eyes and he began to cry, he knows he is making the right decision Cheryl deserves to be with somebody who is capable of loving her. He shook his tears; he needed to compose himself before she returned. He wheeled himself into her bedroom; they usually stayed at his place so he didn’t have much in her apartment. A few sweatshirts, a tooth brush, his aftershave, he gathered them all in his lap as he roamed through her loft. The lack of items may have suggested the lack of permanence he maintained here, most couples together as long as they were lived together. Heck Steph and Maccus had only been together two years and they had moved in together.

Shaking he eats the sandwich, the two of them needed to have a serious conversation when she returned and he needed the energy. He downed the tea as well before wheeling through the loft once more. A final sweep of the apartment before he decided he had removed all signs of his presence. He placed his items in a grocery bag and waited, waited for her to come back and he would end their relationship. Stuck for what do he tried to wash the dishes but it was too difficult to do with his arm in a cast and the wheelchair.

When she returned she was carrying two starbucks cups, she was mad at him but still brought him back a coffee. He met her gaze with red puffy eyes to which she only groans, pushing her forehead against the door frame, he wheels over to take her hand but she only snatched it back. Her eyes are flooding with tears when she looks at him “ I love you so much Dave, I want to be Mrs Katz, I want to have your babies and we get a house in the suburbs, I would be such a good wife you Dave, I really would”. She was full on sobbing and Dave just watched, he didn’t think touching her would help so he just waited for her to compose herself. He took a deep breath “You’ll be amazing wife Cheryl, just not mine, this suburban fantasy it’s just not me and I think we are at an age where we need to accept that we want different things”.

He pointed towards his things on the table, “I packed up my things and called Elliot to say I was going home, I’m going to take the subway back”. 

Cheryl then bit back her tears “Dave I really don’t understand, what awakened this in you?”

He sighed, he really didn’t have the words to explain this to her, maybe someday when he came out to Steph she would let Cheryl know but for now Cheryl could only have his lame excuse “ It’s like you said Cheryl, this accident it just made me think and what I want is different, I’m going to go”. 

He felt bad he truly did and as he wheeled himself out of her apartment he heard her sobbing continue. That was the last time he had seen Cheryl, he wasn’t home when she came to get her belongings so Elliot had let her in but now here the two of them were face to face on the side of the road.

For a moment they just stare at each other, this was odd to say the least being in each other’s company once again. It was odd, standing next to somebody he once spent every day with and now a stranger to him. What was more odd was how different he felt, he felt more confident, more assured. Maybe a few months ago running into Cheryl would have stressed him out but now he felt ready.

She goes for a hug and he leans into it, she’s so small he forgot the feeling. He wonders if he smells like Klaus from their night of cuddling. She clings to his hoodie slightly and peers up at him “It’s good to see you Dave” she beams at him. 

He smiles at her “It’s nice to see you too”.

Cheryl laughs nervously “This is so weird, I mean wow I knew we would be seeing each other but still damn”. 

Dave also laughs “Yeah, umm how have you been” he scratches the back of his head anxiously. 

She pauses “Um, I got a job at Chrisyu; it’s a new tech start up”. 

“That’s great Cheryl, that’s what you wanted wasn’t it”. 

She combs a strand of hair behind her ear “Yeah and its great, exactly what I wanted you know and getting to stay in the city is great too”. She gives him a long look “It’s good to see you out of the wheelchair” she adds. 

Dave stretches out his leg to model the fact that it works “Oh yeah, been walking about for the last few months, took some getting used to but you know how it is” he cringes because no, she does not know how it is.

“ I was actually just walking to the store to get some breakfast to bring back” he says as he points to the store. 

Cheryl just shakes her head “I was actually going to grab a coffee, join me?”

Dave thinks for a moment, he had told Klaus he wouldn’t be long and he was looking forward to just crawling back into bed with him, but he and Cheryl were in a very grey area and he refusing to have a coffee with her could be seen as odd on his part. “Sure, a coffee sounds good”.

They both got plain black coffees and sat together at the outside seating. The last time they had sat opposite each other was at Cheryl’s kitchen table for that uncomfortable conversation which Dave winces at the memory of. He tries to start a simple conversation “So you must be excited for the wedding madam maid of honour”.

“Its stressful is what it is, having the bachelorette party tonight which should be fun though, hopefully Steph will blow off some steam she’s been stressed through the roof, although that’s probably from staying in the hotel with your mom”.

Dave laughs “Definitely, you know how my mom is”. 

They both share a laugh before Cheryl looks down solemnly “I guess it kind of sucks being single at a wedding though, all those slow songs I’m going to need to sit out”.

Dave isn’t sure where the change in tone came from and despite them not being together he doesn’t like the frown on Cheryl’s face. “Hey, if they play ‘Better together’ I promise to dance with you”.

Cheryl looks up at “Our song, we danced to it at your prom” she grins at him, she looks happier then she had moments ago. 

“And I promised you every time we heard it I would always dance with you, and I don’t like breaking promises”.

Cheryl plays with her spoon for a moment mixing it around her drink “You really meant it too, remember we were in line at the mall once and you started twirling me?” Dave grins at the memory, because despite his revelations he and Cheryl had had good times. 

“So do you have a girlfriend Dave?”

The question catches him off guard and he nearly chokes on his sip of coffee, he wonders for a moment what to say to her. On the one hand this was his chance he could finally come out to her; she would finally understand why they needed to break up. On the other hand he thinks of not knowing exactly what he and Klaus were and how he would explain that to her. Dave wonders how long he had been lost in his own head before he decided on the cop out “No, no girlfriend for me”.

Thankfully the conversation did not return to such levels of seriousness and for the remainder of their coffee Cheryl shares stories of her new job and her colleagues at it and then she says something that shocks Dave “Being at this job has really shown me how ignorant I used to be”. 

Dave looks up from his drink intrigued “How so?” 

Groaning Cheryl covers her face “ Face it Dave I was an ignorant witch, the comments I used to make about people, I’m trying to get better though” she takes another sip of coffee “ You know I’m trying to educate myself and lose those ideals life in rural Missouri thought us”.

The comment shakes Dave, for one thing he is so pleased that Cheryl is trying to lose the ideas of their town and he thinks how good this is for her. He knows there are hundreds of things he could say to her in that moment that he had noticed the ignorant things she used to say to Steph but that he hadn’t had the nerve to say anything. “ This is really good to hear Cheryl” he settles on and perhaps that is another cop out comment but there is a time and place for him telling her the truth and he wanted to have full choice of that.

Giving Cheryl a hug as they vacate the coffee shop he feels confident. The two of them had a good conversation and he thinks that maybe the two of them could be friends in the future and that they would be able to be friendly at the wedding. The cafe sold fresh cookies so after stocking up on them, as well as a hot cocoa which he told Cheryl was for himself later he made his way back to the house.

When he re-enters the house forty minutes after leaving he does not expect to be met with three men sitting at the kitchen table. “ Oh hey Maccus, hey ugh...” he absently looks at the two other men smiling at him from the table, perhaps Steph had mentioned who these other two men were and perhaps he would have not looked like such an idiot as he dumbfoundedly stared between them. While one of the strangers was tall and shared a striking resemblance to Maccus, perhaps a family member, the other was a petite man who Dave figured must be a friend. 

“Dave, good to see you, we thought you were dead in the bedroom” Maccus jokes from his seat. The three of them are all still in their pyjamas and it is painfully obvious that the lot of them have been drinking. Maccus gestures to Dave “Sorry let me do introductions this is Dave my to be brother in law”. When both men smile and nod at him Maccus proceeds to introduce them, “Dave this is my older brother Wessel and his boyfriend Antoni”.

Wessel is first to speak “ We were so sad you couldn’t join us at the pub last night Dave, Steph has told Maccus so many good things about you that we were so excited to meet you”. 

Dave isn’t sure how it washes over him; the same confidence talking to Klaus awakens in him. It’s a wave of hope that leads him to believe his new brother in law and the men with him will accept him. It’s a feeling he never knew before boarding that flight and it’s a feeling he thinks will only grow. His eyes dart down the hall in the direction of his room and he takes a deep breath “Guys, can I come clean to you about something”

“Sure?” Maccus says looking confused

Dave inhales “I may have somebody in my room; it’s actually the man I sat next to on the flight here”. Dave waits for what he assumes will be confusion and questions as he watches all three at the table exchange a look before a smile comes on Maccus’s face. 

Antoni who had not spoken yet lights a cigarette “Oh we know” he says nonchalantly as he inhales the smoke. Dave isn’t sure what to say or how to react, how did they know? Had they spoken to Klaus while he was out? Maccus who must have been able to sense his shock gets up from the table.

“Dave allow me to show you something” he puts his hand on the small of Dave’s back as he walks him to the window, where he draws the curtains. “Do you see that bar on the other side of the canal?” he points to some terraced seating horizontal to the house. Dave nods “Yeah?” Maccus then laughs again “Well that’s where we were and Wessel and Antoni and I went out for a smoke last night and saw something fascinating”.

Dave can feel himself going bright red, the climbing in the window oh god they had started kissing before Dave closed the curtains again. Dave had never even met Antoni and Wessel and that is how they had their introduction of him, watching him pull a guy in the window.

Turning around Dave watches as Wessel wraps an arm around Antoni with a massive grin on his face. Antoni meanwhile exhales more smoke “We had no idea you knew the mystery man you were pulling through the window I said to Maccus that his brother in law was some playboy”. Wessel grabs a slice of toast and begins buttering it “Dave the breakfast is getting cold, bring out this boy of yours, see if he’s hungry”.

Dave’s lip is still quivering with shock, he is unsure if his legs would work because they feel like jelly “I’ll do that” he manages to mumble as he points in the direction of his bedroom “I’ll go get him”. 

Maccus then lets out a huge laugh “Dave stop acting like you’re seeing ghosts, get your guy we won’t bite”. 

Antoni then wiggles his eyebrows at Dave “Well that’s unless you want us to”.

Wessel then proceeds to lightly smack him on the arm “Stop trying to freak out Dave, he’s not ready for your shit this early in the morning” he groans to which Antoni only laughs at.

Dave hears the three of them continue to bicker as he makes his way down the hall. He’s happy, truly he is but he is in such shock. Nothing about this trip seemed on the agenda he had expected, well apart from his mother being awful. Could he say he loved his new brother, so accepting, so tolerant he treated Dave the same way he would have assuming he had pulled a girl in the window. Combing a hand through the front of his hair he gives off a high pitch laugh, he didn’t know when the last time he had been this happy was. In the kitchen were three men who had accepted him with open arms and in the bedroom was a man who took his breath away. 

He opens the door to find Klaus no longer sleeping but still not dressed, lying on his stomach facing the door, his face in his phone and his eyebrows furrowed in deep concentration. He looks up at Dave and a massive smile replaces the former look of focus.

“ You sir took forever” grabbing the sheet he rolls himself sideways onto his back dramatically throwing a hand over his face “ I was beginning to wonder if you had bailed on me and left me stranded with however many guys are out there”.

Laughing Dave sat onto the mattress beside him, being careful not to spill the now lukewarm hot chocolate he had brought back from the café. “Does it help that I brought you a gift?” he says as he hovers the hot drink above Klaus’s face.

Klaus face lights up as he makes grabbing hands towards it “ Oh Dave I am always a hoe for a sweet hot beverage, unless this is a vegan grass juice or something because if that’s the case I’m going to be really pissed” he jokes as he pushes himself up from his laying position. Wrapping an arm around his midsection Dave helps prop him up against his side, his one arm still fastened around him.

“Thank you” he laughed out as he adjusted to the new position and Dave handed him the hot chocolate.

“ Its mint chocolate, I also brought cookies” he shook the bag of cookies to reinforce the fact, crap should he have offered the boys some before leaving to get Klaus, speaking of which he really should explain the revelation of the morning to Klaus.

Grabbing a still warm cookie out of the bag Klaus turned to him “So what took you so long, did you get lost or something” he joked.

Dave laughed “No actually would you believe I ran into Cheryl”

“Oh your ex girlfriend maid of honour Cheryl?” he nods as stares at the cookie lovingly, which was hilarious above all else.

“Yeah that’s the one; it was actually really nice we had a coffee and a good talk, I think me and her may be able to spend time together without any awkward occurrences which is good”. Dave then lets out a nervous giggle as he ruffles the back of his hair “She actually asked me if I had a girlfriend”.

Klaus looks up from his breakfast a devious grin on his face “Ohhhh, and what did we tell her”. He then moves draping his legs over Dave’s and pulling him closer into him “Did we tell her that you are not partial to women but have a striking young man in your bed?” he leans in closer to Dave for the second part his breath hot against Dave cheek.

Dave feels himself turning bright red, while he enjoys the close proximity but he knows Klaus must be able to feel his rapid heartbeat “ Ah no, I was a bit of a wimp to be honest and just told her that I didn’t have a girlfriend, I did consider telling her about you though”.

A larger grin then takes over Klaus’s face “Oh, Dave well I am honoured that you thought of me” he grins.

Dave then pulls him closer into a hug and presses his lips into the top of his head “Had it not been an ironing out issues conversation with my ex I would be proclaiming how incredible you are to the masses, you are seriously the most amazing guy I have ever met and I can’t imagine what this trip would have been like without you” he says as he runs his fingers up and down Klaus’s spine as he vocalises his feelings. Truthfully he knew it was so fast but he had such intense feelings for Klaus, he had made the mistake of leaving him in Amsterdam and it made him realise he did not want to leave him again. He wanted to be with this man and he felt like Klaus felt the same.

Klaus smiles up at him “This sounds like boyfriend talk” he says in an almost whisper.

Dave thinks screw it and so be it if this is a strange coming together. Yes, it was odd to ask someone you only knew two days to be your boyfriend but this felt so right.

“Klaus” he begins his face now so close to other mans he feels the heat of him radiating.

Before he can continue however there is a knock on the door “ Dave Katz we have grown inpatient, open the door” he hears from who he assumes is Maccus he then hears another voice chime in “Yes open up or we are coming in”.

Once again he scratches the back of his head as he laughs towards Klaus “Oh yeah I should have mentioned, they know, they saw me pull you through the window last night and they sent me to get you up for breakfast”.

Laughing Klaus untangles himself from Dave and marches to the door and Dave wonders if he has forgotten that he is only wearing underwear or if he just doesn’t care as he swings the door open to see three Dutch men all smugly standing there.

“Nice to meet you boys I’m Klaus Hargreeves” he then puts his hand out for the men to shake.

Dave with a face still red from embarrassment quickly runs up to join him. All the men share a laugh before Wessel speaks up “Klaus now that we are acquainted maybe you would like to throw some trousers on and join us in the kitchen for breakfast and further introductions”. The three of them then turn around to make their way back to the kitchen. Klaus and Dave then share a laugh.

Grabbing his pants from the night before and Dave’s hoodie which has thankfully dried on the radiator Klaus chooses to forgo a shirt or shoes and socks as he quickly dresses. Without even bothering to zip the hoodie he smiles as he takes Dave’s hand “ What it’s not like they will get any surprises” he jokes as he gestures to his naked chest which Dave just has to roll his eyes and laugh at.

They find the three men once again at the kitchen table, a fresh coffee pot now at the centre of it along with fresh toast.

“Klaus butter or jam?” Wessel peaks up as he prepares a plate for him.

The two of them take the empty seats at the table, Klaus pushing his chair further towards Dave so he can lean his weight against Dave and sit with his feet under him on the chair “ Oh I don’t mind, whatever” he grins. 

“Butter your having then because we are low on jam and its mine” Antoni interjects as he hands a buttered piece of toast over.

Wessel sighs “That greedy bastard there is my boyfriend Antoni, I’m Wessel Maccus’s brother, Maccus is Steph’s fiancé if Dave here has not explained yet, I assume you know who Steph is”

Dave snorts “How little talking do you assume the two of us did, of course he knows who Steph and Maccus are”.

Wessel grins at him “In our defence we did only see you two making out and then find you to have already stripped him down to his underwear in the few minutes you were in the room”.

Dave is now turning a whole new shade of red as the embarrassment washes over him “I did not strip him, he was like that already”.

Antoni and Wessel are now loudly laughing at his embarrassment when Maccus speaks up “Excuse those two Dave, they are just trying to get a rise out of you, clearly you have never had a brother before”

Looking down Dave mumbles “Well its working” as his cheeks are still tinted.  
A giggling Klaus then pinches his cheek “You are so cute when you get flustered Davey” he then looks towards Maccus “I have three brothers and two sisters so I am no stranger to this teasing”.

“I have no idea how you survived, I only have the one and that was awful and then he met Antoni and the teasing only got worse, Dave you have to promise you and Klaus will treat me with some respect”

Klaus then lets out a huge laugh “Dave and I are making no promises” and all Dave can think is wow. Klaus must have the same feelings he does, it was obvious Antoni and Wessel had been together a long time and here Klaus was seeing the two of them under the same lens. Did he imagine a future of the two of them teasing Maccus? Maybe Dave was thinking way too much into this and Klaus was just making a joke. Then he looks at Klaus though as he sits in the chair in a totally awkward position and leans into his side as he nibbles on his toast and Dave can’t help but smile at the thought that he and Klaus did want the same thing.

He is interrupted when Wessel lets out a huge groan as he looks up from his phone “Maccus I just got a text from Mom, Cousin Fabien has appendicitis he is not going to be able to make it tonight or to the wedding”.

Maccus sighs “That is awful to hear about Fabien, send him a message that we are hoping he recovers quickly”. 

Wessel then lets out a louder groan “We are going to have to alert the caterers if your new mother in law see’s an empty seat at the reception she will have a freak and make comments about me not being able to count”.

A look of reckoning then appears on Maccus’s face “Wessel wait don’t bother the caterers”. He then turns to Klaus and Dave “Klaus, I would be thrilled if you attended my wedding well assuming you don’t tell Mrs Katz that you’re not cousin Fabien”.

Smiling Klaus looks up at Dave “What do you think Davey, will I crash your sister’s wedding?”.

In that moment Dave cannot contain his happiness, yes it sucked for the guys cousin but Klaus got to attend the wedding and he could not stop smiling “I think that’s a great idea” he then turns to Maccus “Thank you so much for this Maccus, you have no idea how much this means to us”.

Maccus the rolls his eyes dramatically “Nonsense Dave, you are going to be my brother of course I want you to be happy at my wedding” he then turns towards Klaus “You are also invited to the bachelor party tonight Klaus”.

Klaus squealed at this “Aw guys I do love me a good party” and Dave felt his heart swell.

“Wait and you see the costumes” Antoni jokes as he once again lit up another cigarette before offering the box to Klaus and Dave. Dave declined but Klaus happily took one. Antoni threw him the lighter and he lit one up. Still tucked into Dave’s side, Dave had to admit that he was quite attracted to the sight of him despite not bring a smoker himself.

Maccus grins “I’m going to go get the costume bags”. On his return he hands Dave a brown paper bag.

Peering inside Dave pulls out camo print trousers.

“Cute aren’t they, the theme was my idea” Wessel boasts as he pulls out his own trousers holding them against his pyjama clad legs. He then reached further into the bag pulling out a pair of dog tags “You have some too Dave” he smiled.

Dave then reached further into his bag to pull the mentioned dog tags which in the guys defence were very real looking. “I have to ask guys why the army theme” he says as he watches Wessel continue to admire his outfit.

Maccus snorts “Dave it’s obviously a Captain Jack themed bachelor party”

“Captain Jack was a pirate though” Dave still just as confused states as he looks towards Klaus pleading for support. He couldn’t be the only one painfully confused.

“Ugh Dave your painful Americanisms are showing” Wessel sniggers.

“We’re talking about Eurodance Captain Jack, a true voice of a generation” Antoni says as he kisses his fingers before giving Dave a soldier salute.

Klaus shoots Dave a glance “Dave even I know that Captain Jack are a group and I’m not even from here, well I am but you know what I mean” Klaus laughs.

Dave rolls his eyes because of course Klaus is versed in European dance music, why wouldn’t he be after all with all his quirks but then Dave notices that Klaus is the only one who does not have a costume bag.

Maccus must have noticed and he lets out a nervous laugh “Klaus I should warn you before I give you the costume I should let you know that its different from the rest Cousin Fabien is a bit, what’s the best way to put this, he’s eccentric” Maccus says as he looks to the remaining bag that is sitting on the counter.

“He’s a little bit of slut is what Maccus is trying to say” Antoni utters from his seat.

“While Antoni could have worded it nicer, he’s not wrong. Cousin Fabien loves the attention from girls and well he had some adjustments made to the costume”. Maccus twiddles with his thumbs as he explains.

Klaus then starts laughing “Oh my god Maccus, stop beating around the bush just show me the thing”.

Maccus who smiles too gives a shrug “Alright then follow me, Dave you stay here we can surprise you”.

Klaus presses a kiss to Dave’s a cheek as he walks down the hall with Maccus “I’ll be right back baby. Let’s see what’s so nerve inducing about this outfit”.

And dear god if the discussion of the outfit was nerve inducing seeing Klaus in it was giving Dave heart palpitations. While the rest of them had full length camo pants with matching tanks. Klaus had tight camo shorts and an open vest without a shirt and Dave’s mouth must have hit the floor because everyone Klaus included was now laughing at him.

He turns to Klaus “I think Cousin Fabien and you were style twins separated in the womb” he laughs out as Klaus does a twirl showing off the outfit.

“You know maybe Cousin Fabien and I are related there is always the chance” he notes as he crosses his arms over his chest grinning.

Dave looks over to see confusion on the other three men’s faces and laughs “Klaus was born in the Netherlands but was adopted”

Klaus then slides himself into Dave’s embraces and he wraps his arms in front of him “Yeah like Davey said my dad plucked me out of this place and I’m back here to discover my culture”.

Antoni then lets out a snorting laugh “Wow Steph and Dave both with Dutch men” he then slaps Maccus on the arm “The Katz family must have a type”.

Dave has to grin at the comment because it is hilariously true with Klaus still in his arms he once more presses a kiss into his curly hair.

“Klaus we are not going out for another few hours if you want to get back into your lounge wear” Maccus chimes before adding “I’m very hungover so I’m going to go back to bed, the two of you are free to do what you like” he adds before making his way down the hall.

“Not that I don’t appreciate you guys company but I agree and Wessel and I are going to grab some beauty sleep, don’t have too much fun” Antoni laughs and he and Wessel leave as well. Leaving Dave and Klaus alone in the shared kitchen living room.

Klaus smiles as he looks over towards the television “So Davey how about you look for a movie or something to watch while I go get into something comfortable, not that I don’t like this but I this outfit deserves to be brought on a night out and shouldn’t be reduced to television”.

Dave has to laugh in agreement with him “Yeah sounds good” he hums as he removes himself from around Klaus so he can get to work on finding something for them to watch while Klaus changes. When Klaus returns a few moments later in the same clothes from earlier he sits himself onto Dave’s lap on the couch and the two of them watch some rom-com that the two of them really have little to no interest in.

Call it domestic, call it bliss really it was just sheer joy for Dave because for the next few hours the two of them just cuddled on the couch while half watching movies.  
“ She did it !she’s the murderer” Klaus laughed out as he points towards the woman on the screen, despite the movie being a chick flick that did not have even a slight murder subplot. He then puts his hand into the bag of cookies from earlier as he begins to chew on one “I bet to remedy her love triangle on if she should choose her new sexy boss or her caring neighbour that she will try murder one of them, but then the two men will realise how evil she is and will fall in love with each other” Klaus giggle out as he still points to the television. 

Dave who was lying on his side with Klaus cosied in front of him has to giggle as he presses a kiss into his hair “You are so creative baby and that would make this movie a lot more interesting”. They never do get to see the end of the movie however because somewhere between the women finding out her boss has a wife and confiding in her friend, the two of them fall asleep. As Dave drifts off he thinks that this is his fourth time falling asleep with Klaus Hargreeves and he never wants to sleep alone again.

When he wakes up its dark outside and he shakes his head in disbelief that they slept the day away. Klaus is silently sleeping in his arms and he moves him onto his back so he can give him a kiss. When he feels him smile he knows that Klaus is awake.

“Oh Davey remind me that I want morning kisses for the rest of my life” he giggles.

Dave then ruffles his hair “ Its seven in the evening stupid we feel asleep”.

Klaus then sits up stretching his arms “Well the time doesn’t matter my comment remains true” and Dave thinks of what he wanted to say earlier.

He grabs Klaus’s hands, he has almost certainty that they both feel the same and he stares into Klaus’s green eyes, this was either going to be the smartest or the dumbest thing he ever did but Klaus brought out such a confidence in him that he needed to take this gamble. Smiling at Klaus he begins “Look before I met you I had never even vocalised my sexuality and I was believing that I would just go on that way but Klaus you are so amazing that all I want is to be with you, look I’m not good at this, to be honest, this is the first declaration I have ever done”.

He is interrupted by Klaus smiling and giggling to which he can only groan at “Hey I’m trying my best here; anyway what I am trying to say is Klaus will you please be my boyfriend”. He then waits for a response but instead feels soft lips colliding with his own. He gleefully leans into the kiss feeling both he and Klaus’s smiles.

When they pull apart Klaus is smiling at him “Of course I want to be your boyfriend, you could have asked me in the airport and I would have said yes” he beams.

Then there is a loud pop and the two of them turn around to see Antoni and Wessel both standing in the kitchen with massive smug smiles on their faces and an opened bottle of champagne in Antoni’s arms.

Exchanging a look with Klaus, Dave lets out a laugh “How long have the two of you been there” Dave says as he further sits up on the couch.

“Oh long enough” Antoni says with a self-satisfied grin he then lightly pokes Wessel’s arm “ Why are you not that romantic with me” he jokes.

Wessel only rolls his eyes “Klaus, Dave congratulations on your courtship, can I offer you a glass of champagne it was supposed to baptize the beginning of the bachelor party but this is a much better reason”.

They then both laugh at this as they make their way into the kitchen to accept the glasses which Wessel has poured into fancy flute glasses. Klaus turns to Dave laughing “Wow my sister is going to be so jealous of this”.

After sharing the glasses of champagne with Wessel and Antoni the two of them go to their room to begin dressing for the party. Klaus pushes himself against the door to close it “Should we feel bad that we drank the fancy champagne and nobody woke Maccus” he laughs out.

Dave runs a hand through his hair and giggles “Nah Wessel bought the champagne and he said it was to celebrate our relationship and not Maccus and Steph’s” he then remembers his declaration from earlier and a huge smile cascades his face “ Now come here I want a kiss from my cute boyfriend”. Smiling Klaus saunters over to him.

“Why of course, who would I be to deny my boyfriend such a pleasure?”

And the two of them must get lost in the kiss because they suddenly hear Antoni banging on their door. “ You two its been twenty minutes, stop making out in there and get dressed”.

As they dress Dave is in total awe of how amazing Klaus looks in the outfit and he personally wants to thank Cousin Fabien for the alterations he made to the outfit. When they are both dressed however he notices Klaus has chosen not to wear the dog tags, they did have the name Fabien on them after all

“Klaus you look so amazing in that outfit,” he says and all he can think is how attracted he was to him in it  
Klaus giggles “ Dave I was going to say the same I never thought I had a thing for guys in soldier outfits but oh hot damn this is my jam” he laughs out as he runs his hands up Dave’s chest.

Dave grins into the touch and wraps his arms around Klaus’s neck and he smiles because he cannot fathom the happiness this man brings him. Klaus then leans into him, pressing their lips together, the kiss is soft and sweet unlike the wanting kiss from earlier and Dave smiles into it. He honestly could not believe that this was his life, that he had a boyfriend as attractive and attentive as Klaus. He pulled out of the kiss so he could comb his fingers through Klaus’s hair “ I’m so glad I got to meet you” he beams.

Klaus smiles at him “And I am so glad to have met you Dave, I know this is grim but I’m glad you had to take that repeat exam and take the late flight”, and Dave cannot help but agree with him. When he was a kid his dad always said that everything happened for a reason and he did not fully understand what it meant. That was until this moment, had he not had his car crash he would not have missed his exam, he would not have had to sit the repeat and he would not have met Klaus Hargreeves, and odd as it sounded all the pain was worth it.

Dave presses a kiss onto Klaus’s nose “Not that I don’t want to continue this but I think Antoni was yelling at us to hurry up at least ten minutes ago”.

Klaus then rolls his eyes “Well if you insist Davey baby”. The two of them then leave to join the other guys in the living room. The five of them do make quite the group when they emerge in the living room, Klaus perhaps being the sore thumb with his outfit different to the rest.

Wessel smiles at them “Drinking is pretty expensive so we are going to have some pre drinks here” he then gestures to some bottles of whiskey and beers on the table.

Klaus is first to step forward “I am no stranger to some pre game drinks” he then grabs the whiskey pouring five shots. “ If I may begin” he hands a shot to Maccus “ Maccus this is crazy I was sent to this country to discover my heritage and now you’re wedding has brought me not only an amazing boyfriend but also some amazing friends” he then wraps his arms around Antoni and Wessel’s necks “ Like seriously you guys are all so amazing”.

Dave has to smile at the group of them as he enjoys sipping his drink. He is happy for Klaus, the guy probably thought he would do some tourist attractions and his trip totally changed. Maccus pours another few shots and the four of them down them like they are water, after the second however Dave finds himself slowly sipping rather than downing like the rest of them.

This receives a huge grin from Antoni who wraps his arm around Klaus’s neck “Americans they do not know how to drink” he jokes to which Klaus giggles at.

Klaus further stresses the comment by linking arms with Antoni and downing another shot. Klaus then shoots him a flirty look “You Americans really can’t take shots” he giggles.

Dave then rolls his eyes as he addresses the room “You guys realise Klaus moved to America when he was four days old and is older than me, he is technically more American than I am”.

Wessel then lightly punches him “Nonsense Dave, Klaus here is the Dutchest Dutch man among us”

Maccus then comes beside Dave poking him in the side. “He is a really good one,” he says and Dave finds himself just smiling at the scene before him “Yeah he really is amazing isn’t he”. Klaus isn’t even paying attention to him in that moment, he is taking shots with Wessel and Antoni and all Dave can think is how beautiful he is.

Maccus then stretches his arms out “Alright soldiers I think it is time we hit up the town”. Before they leave though, they take a group picture which Maccus sends on to Steph insisting that she wanted to see their outfits. After sending it he begins laughing, which everyone gives him a questioning look for. “Its noting he giggles, its just she is going to assume Klaus is Cousin Fabien”. He then leads the way out of the apartment and towards the bars.

As they leave the apartment Klaus grabs Dave’s hand to hold as they make their way into town.

The bar Wessel chose for the party Is funnily enough a gay bar. Dave had never been to a gay bar before and the experience brings a huge smile to his face. All around him are men dancing with other men, sharing kisses with other men and just being happy in being themselves. Before he has a chance to fully take in the surroundings he feels Klaus’s hand tugging his towards the dance floor.

Without the fear of judgment he follows his boyfriend to the dance floor and he gets to dance with him and Dave had never felt so free. He darts his eyes towards the other three guys who are dancing with them.

“ Let’s do shots!” Maccus loudly exclaims and it clear that the guy is already very drunk. Nobody dares disagree with him however and as the five of them line up at the bar and down said shots Dave grins at the group of them. Antoni and Wessel are on one side of Maccus, while he and Klaus are on the other. With a massive grin on his face Maccus draws the lot of them into a bear hug “ I cannot believe that I have four amazing brothers” he giggles before leading the group back towards the dance floor.

The group dance together for a few songs before parting. With Klaus’s arms around his neck and the two of them swaying out of tune to a song, Dave cannot help the smile on his face. The guys are on the other side of the bar dancing together and Dave does not want to invade it. At the end of the day, these are guys that have known each other their entire lives wanting to party together.

Klaus then leans into Dave’s ear “ You know, Antoni mentioned to me that they would be out as late as possible if the two of us wanted to try grab some alone time before they get in”. He then starts massaging circles into Dave’s back “Don’t think of this as me rushing you of here but I am very much a fan of us getting some much needed alone time.

Dave then leans into Klaus’s touch “Klaus there is nothing I would enjoy more than being alone with you right now”. After getting a grin and a kiss on the cheek from Klaus he decides that the two of them need to get back to the house. After saying their goodbyes to the guys, the two of them then leave for the short walk back to the house.

Once inside his lips are on Klaus’s neck as he spreads kisses up onto his jaw towards his lips. Klaus meanwhile is pressing himself flush against Dave and has one arm wrapped around Dave’s waist the other is lost in his hair. He feels Klaus begin toying with the hem of his t-shirt and steps aside to pull it off. 

“Dave you could do a week’s worth of laundry on those abs” Klaus murmurs before pulling Dave back against him. 

“ If that’s what you wanna do I would totally let you”

“Laundry is the last thing on my mind right now” Klaus said with his hands lost in Dave’s hair. He was rhythmically grinding against him and Dave knew he needed to get Klaus into his room. With one hand in Klaus’s back pocket he pulled Klaus further into him, he used his other wrist to unlock the door.

“Baby I have been thinking about this since you put on that outfit” Dave whispered into his ear.

This only elicited giggles from Klaus “Oh soldier” his hands were still in Dave’s hair “Now c’mon soldier boy that’s an order”.

“Sir Yes Sir” Dave cockily replies before bringing his lips back onto Klaus and pushing him through the door and towards the bed. He’s ready for Klaus to lower them into the bed before shock takes over Klaus’s face and he yelps “ Christ on a cracker”.

And then there’s screaming 

A girl screaming

Removing himself from Klaus’s grasp Dave opens his eyes and turns around.

And it’s Cheryl on his bed, and she’s wearing bunny ears and panties and nothing else and why the hell is she here.

And Dave is screaming and trying to shield his eyes.

“Cheryl, oh god , why are you here” Dave gasps as he tries to process the situation. This was no way what he expected to be met with.

“ I came to see you, Our conversation this morning, I thought we could maybe recoil” she begins whimpering as she twiddles with her thumbs and looks down, trying her best not to make eye contact with either of the men standing at the door. 

He shares a glance with Klaus as the two of them give a confused glance to the now crying playboy bunny in their bed.

Dave pinches the bridge of his nose “Cheryl, this morning was us establishing being on good terms with each other and I thought it had went really well, it wasn’t me insinuating that we were getting back together”.

She looks up at them finally eyes still puffed and she is still jittering “Okay but Dave what are you doing with Cousin Fabien”

“Oh I’m not cousin Fabien,” Klaus says raising his hands in defense.

Dave laughs at this because they never did explain to the girls that cousin Fabien had fallen ill, so it was obvious they would assume.

“Cheryl this is my boyfriend Klaus Hargreeves,” Dave says although he doesn’t look at her when he says it he stares into Klaus’s eyes admiringly getting lost in them. A cough from Cheryl interrupts him

“But Dave you have to be gay to have a boyfriend” then something clicks in her mind and Dave can see her face putting everything together. “Oh my gosh, I’m such an idiot” she groans. Then she starts to cry again.

“Davey, can I handle this ?” Klaus asks.

Dave has to nod because he really has no idea how to approach this, how does one approach an ex-girlfriend who assumed they were getting back together but then caught him about to have sex with a boyfriend she knew nothing about.

Klaus stepped aside joining Cheryl on the bed, she was still on her knees facing the door but her face was buried in her hands as she cried, wiping a few tears she looked to him “I suppose I seem a right fool”.

Stretching his arms behind his head Klaus flashed her lively smile “Nah, not all I mean if I were in your position I totally would have done the same”. He then picks up his own discarded t-shirt from the night before which was still thrown on the bedroom floor “Put this on, this room is freezing”.

“Thanks” she mumbles her head is still bowed and rather than put the t-shirt on straight away she more holds it to her chest. Dave figures she must really be drunk because she tends to forget how to do simple tasks when severely intoxicated.

Klaus starts pulling at loose threads in the duvet “Cheryl you know I have two sisters and I have sat with both of them through embarrassment and heartache and this right here has nothing on ways I have managed to embarrass myself”.

“He’s not lying, he one time made out with a guy and then had to ask what his name was” Dave adds from his place standing in the doorway.

Cheryl then shoots him daggers “Dave I’m too embarrassed to talk to you right now”

He knows she’s not actually mad at him, and he actually thinks she may be acting flirty with Klaus.

Klaus laughs “What I’m trying to say is you had huge balls to do what you did tonight and while Dave may sadly be spoken for I think there’s a guy in your future that is going to love this playboy bunny get up”.

“God Klaus how are you so amazing, if you weren’t gay I would totally be making moves on you right now” Cheryl laughs

“He’s pan Cheryl so you can try, but you’ll have to pry him off my cold dead corpse before I give him up” Dave deadpans at her. He figures the tension has melted so he joins the two of them on the bed wrapping an arm around Klaus’s waist, maybe it was instinctive maybe he was being territorial towards Cheryl, Who knew.

“But you know Cheryl, I do have a brother, big strong one, I think you’ll like him” Klaus adds.

“Big and strong you say” she says a grand smile finally coming onto her face.

“Oh yeah and with the heart of a lost puppy, if you think Davey here is built like a house my brother Luther is built like a resort”.

Cheryl laughs at this “Okay, I guess you’ll need to introduce me to this Luther” she grins. 

They are all smiling at each other, crisis averted and drama dying down before Cheryl’s complexion goes green “ I think I’m going to be sick” she quickly utters as she attempts to cover her mouth. Really Dave should have seen this coming, she had never gotten drunk and not had to be sick. Klaus flashes him a look of concern as the two of them pull her up and try waddling her to the bathroom.

And that was how he and Klaus’s suspected night of romance turned into the three of them in the bathroom Klaus holding her hair back and Dave sitting on the floor next to her to make sure she was still conscious. Definitely not what Dave thought they would spend the night doing but hey at least they were doing it together and maybe this would be a story someday.

“I think the poor girls got it all out,” Klaus says as he continues to rub her back, the vomiting having thankfully stopped.

“Yeah I think she’s done, look at the size of her I’m surprised she threw up so much, to begin with”

“The girl must have drunk her weight in liquor, I think we should keep an eye on her” Klaus says as he looks at Cheryl with concern. Dave wonders if this was something Klaus and his siblings did for each other, he did mention himself and Diego needing to vomit together while drunk. It was odd to Dave that he and Steph had become so distant that the act of helping a drunken sibling seemed intimate.

Under normal circumstances Dave would have been strong enough to lift Cheryl but his shoulder and legs were still so damaged. So Klaus who was surprisingly strong managed to carry her back into the bedroom where they tucked her into the bed, a bucket next to her for good measure. Klaus brought in the cushions from the living room sofa and using extra bed linen from the closet they built themselves a small floor bed.

Dave joins Klaus under the covers and he has to laugh at the absurdity of the situation. Klaus then cuddles into him.“Sucks that you didn’t get any dog tags” Dave says as he combs a hand through Klaus’s curls, his new favourite past time. “They would have made a really good souvenir”

Klaus simply shrugs “It’s all good, I don’t need a souvenir to remember this rollercoaster of a night” his eyes then dart to Cheryl who is still sound asleep in the bed, and the two of them laugh.

“Yeah, tonight really was crazy right” Dave beams before pressing a sweet kiss to Klaus’s temple “I want you to have a souvenir though, or maybe consider it a gift for being so amazing with Cheryl earlier”. Klaus is about to say something when Dave presses their lips together. When they break apart he removes his dog tags and drops them around Klaus’s neck. “I want you to have these” he beams as he stares at his boyfriend.

“ Dave, don’t take this lightly but this is one of the cutest things ever” he lifts the dogs tags up admiring them and Klaus then presses their lips together once more.

And that’s how they fall asleep, on the bedroom floor being guardians to a sleeping Cheryl and wrapped in each other’s arms, and Dave wouldn’t want it any other way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So the draft version of this was up for like an hour before I noticed and was able to delete and fix it, so 19 people read this wrong and ughhh I feel the worst.
> 
> This chapter was so much fun to write and I would like thank my amazing beta reader Bri for helping me !!! I would also like to thank my friend Chris who helped me with the side characters while the two of us were out at the pub. I really hope everyone enjoys this chapters also I may have wrote some of this drunk XD
> 
> XOXO  
> Naomi


	4. The Shakshuka Chef

Bliss that was the only way Dave could describe his current position, Klaus’s bare chest pressed solidly against his own, while his hand was on the small of his back. There was also the adorable brown curls tickling his nose as he awoke. Then he heard light, familiar snoring and the entire night washed back over him. Asking Klaus to be his boyfriend, the bachelor party, the giggles, and kisses they had shared before deciding to return back to the bedroom, and finally the surprise guest, all the memories fill his mind as he wakes. Opening his eyes fully he looks up and there was Cheryl passed out on the bed beside them. He had to give it to Klaus, the little area Klaus had created for them out of couch cushions and duvet sheets made the perfect little nest. That being said, anywhere probably would have been perfect for the two of them.

He ran his fingertips down the length of Klaus’s arm before pressing a kiss to his temple, it didn’t wake him and he continued to lie there asleep as Dave grinned at how absurd the night before had truly been. One's first night of promiscuous activity is not usually intruded by playboy bunny ex-girlfriends, speaking of which she never did take those off and her hair was knotting around them. Perhaps he and Klaus should have taken them off her, in retrospect it hadn’t been their priority at the time.

There was a clock on the adjacent wall and as he looked across to it he noticed it was only 7:05, lots more time to be lazy he thought as he closed his eyes, wraps his arms tighter around his boyfriend, and drifted back to sleep.

Waking up for the second time he was discouraged to find that he now lay on the floor alone, his chest definitely feeling the change in temperature. Cheryl was still sound asleep and snoring in the bed next to him. Feeling the pillow where Klaus had been and it was still warm, meaning he hadn’t been gone long. Then he heard an instantly identifiable voice singing from the kitchen and also the clashing of pots and pans. There was also the strong smell which was so familiar but at the back of his mind.

Getting up from the makeshift bed, Dave slipped into some sweatpants yet chose to forgo a shirt; he didn’t think Klaus would mind after all. Giving one more cautionary look to Cheryl he pulled the blankets up to her shoulders to ensure she stayed warm as she slept off what was definitely going to be a terrible hangover. She may have hijacked his night but that was no reason to let her be cold. They may have broken up but he did still care about Cheryl that’s just what Dave was like he cared about people.

Just as he had expected he found Klaus in the kitchen, his back was to Dave though as he was working at the stove, in only his underwear and Dave's costume dog tags, totally unbothered by it. Not that Dave would object as he watched the way he swayed his hips, the long dip of his spine, the sallow nature of his skin, and the way his hair was sticking out in all directions made Dave unable to look away as he watched his boyfriend with total adoration.

With a spatula in his hand, Klaus was belting out the best cover of 'No Scrubs' that Dave had ever heard and Dave could no longer resist him. Coming up behind Klaus he placed his hands on his hips and pressed a kiss to his shoulder. Smiling Klaus continued with his task, while still swaying his hips. “If you don’t have a car and your walking” Klaus persisted with the song, Dave however made a joking offended face before continuing the lyrics “If you live at home with your Mama”.

It was funny really that he walked in on the singing just in time for them to semi insult one another with the perfect lines. Following Dave’s joining on the singing Klaus erupted into laughter his head falling back into the crook of Dave’s neck. Dave took the opportunity to kiss his temple “Good Morning my Darling”.

Klaus hummed into his touch “It sure is Davey baby”

All Dave could think at that moment was how wonderful it was to start his morning in this manner, to wake to somebody who he cared about singing and dancing while also preparing breakfast. Being in Klaus’s presence Dave could not ignore that he wanted to start all his mornings like this, he wanted to cook for Klaus, take him out for brunch, and go out for walks. He was getting ahead of himself in his domestic fantasy so he smiled the thought away, though he would probably revisit them later.

Moving from behind him Dave kept one arm around Klaus’s side as he took a place beside his boyfriend so he could smell the concoction Klaus was cooking. “What ya doing there? It smells great”

“Oh, this” Klaus says gesturing to the simmering pot “It’s supposed to be shakshuka although I think it's going to end up tasting like an omelette covered in ketchup”. He then placed the spatula, not spoon back in the pot as he continued to stir.

Klaus must have been able to read his mind because he lifted the spatula to Dave’s mouth a second later, looking at the spatula himself Klaus laughed “ Look I know there were no spoons so bear with me okay?”. He quirked his eyebrow up awaiting Dave to taste it.

“How do you know how to make shakshuka?” Dave asked in total awe. God if this man didn’t take his breath away before he certainly was now and then he tastes it. And yeah it was shakshuka, an odd take on the classic recipe but shakshuka no less.

Klaus then starts laughing “You don’t remember Davey?”

Dave shakes his head “I don’t know what you’re talking about dear”.

“You,” Klaus says using his free hand to poke into Dave’s chest “Would not stop talking about this on the way home from the bar last night, it was all” he lowered his voice to try to imitate Dave. The mimicking was accompanied by flamboyant hand gestures, and Dave wasn’t sure if Klaus knew he was flinging sauce everywhere or if it was on purpose to bring more drama to the performance. “Klaus my dear, my love, I am going to make sweet love to you and then I’m going to wake up in the morning and make you shakshuka”. He laughs for a moment before bopping Dave on the nose “It was so cute Davey”.

Dave then remembered the entire Cheryl ordeal had largely sobered him up but he was just reminded of his humbling sweet nothings from the walk home the night before. He felt the blush creeping up his cheeks and then he poked out his bottom lip “What can I say baby, I figured we would work up an appetite”. He then took a knife from the counter “Shove over and I help you at least because I don’t know what recipe you’re following but I can promise my Dad’s is better”. And then in total bliss they both just hummed and cooked breakfast and god Dave wanted this to be every morning.

When it was cooked they took it to the living room and lay on the cushionless couch so they could eat. “You know” Klaus began “Gordon Ramsay saying this is a dinner food was bullshit, who doesn’t want saucy eggs in the morning”.

This made Dave laugh “My Dad, used to cook this for Steph and me at the weekends”. He then noticed the sauce on the corner of Klaus’s mouth and put his thumb out to swipe it away, eliciting a smile from Klaus.

He pauses to chew some more “You need to teach me how to make this so I can be the king of brunch next time Ali and Vanya come over”.

“I’ll do you one better, I’ll make it for the three of you”

Klaus smiles at him and it's one of those smiles that take up your entire face “Wow Dave, a day into our relationship and your organising brunch dates with my sisters, very brave”.

“ You know” Dave says as he twiddles his thumbs and looks down “I'm so jealous of the relationship you have with your sisters like I wish so bad that me and Steph had what you guys have”.

Klaus sighs for a moment and looks away over his shoulder “You know it wasn’t always like this”

“Huh”

Klaus pauses, placing his now empty bowl on the table before bringing his legs onto the couch and tucking his legs under him. “I mean me and Allison fell out for like a year and because of that Luther didn’t really want much to do with me either”. He does a nervous laugh before continuing “back when I was eighteen I didn’t exactly know my limits or what drugs should not be mixed with alcohol and I really pushed it”

Dave turns fully towards “Klaus you don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to”, and he truly meant it.

With an artificial smile that did not belong on his face Klaus shakes his head “No it's okay you deserve to see that it's not all sunshine and rainbows in casa Del Hargreeves”. Sighing he pushes his hands through his hair “ I came home one morning, drunk as hell like could barely stand and Allison was up getting ready for an audition and she was worried about me so she tried to help me get up the stairs and well I slipped and since she was holding me up she fell with me”

“Were you guys okay” Dave says with concern and placing a hand on Klaus’s knee which has started bouncing with nerves. He starts rubbing circles into his thigh to try to calm him, after a few seconds it works and Klaus starts speaking again.

“Well I broke my jaw had to get it wired shut and Allison broke her ankle so she missed the audition, she was really rightly pissed off at me”.

Dave looks him in the eye “But you guys are okay now”.

“Oh yeah like eventually we started talking more and I was a bit more copped on at parties”. The sombre look then finally leaves his face to be replaced with a more authentic smile and he puts his hand on top of Dave’s on his thigh “Also the play she was auditioning for turns out to have really sexist themes so she isn’t too pissed about it anymore”.

“Well, I guess that was good of her career in the long run” Dave jokes.

“It was and I'm just saying me and my sisters have fallen out, that’s just the most serious thing to have happened but at the end of the day I love my siblings and we all decided we wanted to have a close relationship and a bit of bickering comes with that”.

It’s weird the situations that lead to clarity, because this, curled up on the couch with Klaus eating food his dad used to make and learning about the true nature of Klaus’s relationship with his sisters was what made Dave finally make up his mind. Placing his now empty bowl on the table he combed his fingers through the font of Klaus’s hair “Today, I’m going to come out to Steph today”.

A big smile came onto Klaus’s face “That’s great Dave”, he then brushed his lips against Dave’s “I’m so proud of you”.

And Dave knew it was the right decision and he was on an adrenaline high, he was going to do it, total honesty with Steph once and for all.

As Dave made his way into her hotel an hour later, however, his heart was loudly pounding in his chest and he honestly feared that he may pass out. He needed to do this though and it was so important that his sister knew the truth. He wanted the freedom to dance with his boyfriend at the wedding tomorrow and if facing Steph was all he needed to do in order to do that, well then he was going to do it.

Why couldn’t he be like everyone else and have just awkwardly told his family this at thanksgiving as a teenager, that was the usual experience right? The answer of course was his mom

Knocking on the door he mentally prepared himself, he knew his mom was at the salon so this really was a cop out on his part, telling Steph was one thing. Telling the queen of homophobia Iris Katz was another. It’s not that he always knew the depth of her prejudice but it became visibly clear when she stopped letting him play with one of the kids up the street simply because of the sexual orientation of his older brother. He had only been nine at the time, not old enough to understand himself but when she told him that Michael’s brother lived a dishonourable and disgraceful lifestyle he was left in fear. It wasn’t until years later he realised what Michael’s brothers lifestyle that his mom was so distasteful of was. So he never came out, not to Steph, not to his mom because he was scared. She had stopped his playing with another kid just because of who his brother was, there was no saying how she would cast away her own son.

Steph answered the door in her bathrobe and with rollers in her hair, “Oh hey, I wasn’t expecting you until the rehearsal dinner”. Without her usual makeup, she looked youthful and it also showed how nervous she looked.

Dave laughs nervously “Yeah I know I just” he pushes the coffee cup into Steph’s hand “I just thought we should maybe spend some quality time as the Katz siblings one last time”. Which was not technically a lie, the quality of the time really just depended on how well she took the news.

Dave hadn’t paid much attention to the room the first night he had been here but looking at it now, it was stunning. The bright colours of the furniture and the antique decor was sending his furniture design brain into overload.

Steph smiles at him “Geeking out about the room are we Dave?”. She quirks up her brow as she says it and it is so similar to some expression of his own.

He nods enthusiastically “Yeah it’s amazing, where I am is great don’t get me wrong but wow!”

Laughing Steph makes her way towards the sofa, tucking her feet under her as she begins sipping on the coffee “Yeah it is pretty nice, so was there anything specific you wanted to talk about or are you just here to lust on my room?”

Dave chuckles lightly and ruffles his hair as he moves across the suite to join her on the couch, not quite next to her though. “So guess what I had for breakfast”

She looks up from her coffee “You mean to say this coffee isn’t your breakfast?”

“It is not,” he says with a smile, he can tell her now what he had, he can tell her who made it and he can tell her everything.

Although when the moment comes he simply utters “I made shakshuka”. And he was such a dweeb, he couldn’t even say it. “ You must be excited with finally getting to become a European citizen” he joked, his best attempt at casual conversation now he knew he needed a few more minutes to work up to saying it.

Steph however gave him a confused expression “Dave, you realise we are both French citizens right?”

Dave shook his head, how could he not know this, don’t people usually know what nationality they are.

Steph scoffed at him “Yeah dummy, mom got us French passports as kids; all you have to do is renew it. Gosh, Dave, I get that you and mom don’t talk much but this is a whole new level".

Dave’s expression is totally puzzled “But Mom told me we couldn’t get citizenship, Mom told me you were getting it when you got married”.

And Steph looked at him puzzled and then it all made sense. His mom was keeping it from him, she didn’t want him to move to Europe the way Steph did, how did he never question the citizenship? And more so what more was she keeping from him.

Dave decided to move on but to also put a pin on this for later, as European citizenship was definitely something he would need to consider, later on, Klaus had dual citizenship perhaps he knew the logistics of this. “So are you excited for tomorrow?” he asked.

“Yeah so excited but stressed with a capital S” she laughs out. “I was so happy when Mom went to the salon; I may or may not have booked her in for the entire mother of the bride package just to get some time to pamper myself”.

“Yeah Cheryl mentioned she was driving you crazy”

Steph’s face then morphed into a sly grin “ Oooooh Dave” she then leaned forward pressing her hands into Dave’s leg and poking him with her long manicured nails “ So my brother and my best friend are conversing how fascinating”. She drawled out the last few words in a high pitched tone to match the grin on her face.

Dave tried to smile but it was so obvious that Steph was aware of Cheryl’s visit to his house the night before. “Steph just so you know, just because Cheryl and I had a friendly conversation it does not mean I am getting back together with her”.

Steph’s sly smile remained as she nursed her coffee “ Mmmhmmm, Yep you say that but Cheryl never came back last night after deciding to see you”. Steph then theatrically looks down at a nonexistent watch “and hmm she is still not back”. She then winked at him “You’re not as good at keeping secrets as you think Dave, you can’t keep anything from me!”

Dave mentally scoffed, god if only she knew how ridiculous she sounded because apart from his relationship with Cheryl, Steph barely knew anything about him. In fact they barely knew each other, Steph was older than him and moved to the Netherlands for college immediately after high school and stayed for work. Sure she came back to America for Hanukkah and for Yom Kippur a handful of times but apart from that they didn’t really talk.

It was strange living in the same house as someone for seventeen years and then suddenly seeing them twice a year at most. Cheryl had missed her most though and Dave had wondered multiple times in their relationship if Cheryl clung so tightly to Dave as a replacement for Steph, perhaps had Steph stayed in America their relationship would have ended on much better terms.

But there was no need getting caught up in thoughts of he and Cheryl because they were fine, she and Klaus were probably passed out in the room. He smiled at the idea of his sleeping boyfriend, with that cute little pouted lip and his tussled hair and god he really needed to come clean to Steph.

“See I see you smiling Dave, thinking about Cheryl?” Steph excitedly squealed.

Taking a large swig of his coffee Dave wished it was something stronger “Steph we really need to talk.” And he gulped because it really was now or never

“Wow Dave, you look like you are going to cry”

And shit he was he had a tear in his eye; he quickly wipes it taking a gulp in. “Steph remember when we were kids and how close we were?”

Steph nods “We used to tell each other everything Dave, remember when he used to steal candy on Shabbat”.

This brings a slight smile to Dave’s face “Yeah I remember, Mom would get so mad but we would stick together and take the punishment together”. He gulps “ Steph since dad died I have felt so distant from you, I get that you were a teenager and you suddenly had so much more of mom to deal with but I felt like I lost my dad and my big sister”. It had been so hard for him in those years, feeling so alone in the world and Steph closing off to him; that probably reinforced his idea to keep his sexuality a secret because really all he wanted was to be close with his family and until now he figured hiding his sexuality would protect that, but he and Steph hadn’t been close for years so really he had nothing to lose.

“I’m sorry I was a bit of a jerk as a teenager” she ran her hand over her hair rollers, and began smoothing her dressing gown and looked him in the eye “Dave but we are adults now so I’m glad that we are finding ways to get over it”

“Yeah exactly, so we should be honest with each other”. Gulping Dave took a deep breath “Steph, I have been keeping a secret from you”.

“How so” Steph utters in a meek voice, her expression shifting from the carefree smiles of a few moments earlier to something much more serious.

“Steph I” he chokes a bit on the word, shaking his head to try to calm himself. She is still staring right at him and fuck this is difficult. “Steph I’m gay”, there he said.

Then to his surprise Steph laughs “Good one Dave, no you’re not”. She then claps her hands “ This is a pretty good performance though, I have to say you almost had me, Did Maccus send you over to try to freak me out before the wedding because I have heard of him and his family’s prank the bride tradition”. She wipes an imaginary tear and pinches him on the cheek.

“Steph I’m not messing with you, I’m gay”. How could she think he was lying, why would he bring up all the stuff about their father and the importance of being honest with each other only to lie to her face. How could she think he would do that?

“Seriously stop it Dave, what did Maccus do, convince you to come over and tell me your gay and that you’re going to try to steal him from me” she then laughs “ Because no sir you aint stealing my ma..”

“Steph can you stop trying to make this about yourself for once, I’m trying to tell you something” he interrupts and he is becoming more and more irritated by the second. Standing up from the couch he begins pacing the room while breathing frantically, the room which had been warm and inviting upon arrival suddenly felt more claustrophobic by the second as he attempted to calm his breathing.

“Dave I don’t know what kind of joke you are trying to pull but I can tell you the day before my wedding is not the appropriate time” she spits at him as she stands up too, coming into his space and glaring at him.

Releasing a breath Dave lowers his voice, his eyes are beginning to water and he worries that she can tell “Steph I really wish you could stop being so insanely selfish and recognise that this was me trying to be honest with you”.

Whether she saw his blooming tears or not must not have mattered because Steph stepped away from him “Dave just go, I’m over this joke and by the way, it was not even funny”.

So he left, tears in his eyes and his breath catching. Maybe it had been dumb to have this conversation the day before her wedding but her fiancé knew, it would have been odd not to tell her. Still as his tears continued he quickly maneuvered down the street, dodging the looks of everybody he met.

Entering the house he darted straight towards the bedroom not even caring to check if the boys were awake in the living room, he just really needed to be with someone who cared about him in that moment and that person was his beautiful boyfriend who had gone back to sleep before he left him that morning. Opening the door that was exactly what he found his boyfriend cozied up and watching TV.

“Hey baby” Klaus said as he welcomed Dave making grabby hands at him as he invited him to join him in the bed. Immediately Dave was wrapping his arms around his midsection and burying his face in his shoulder. Klaus immediately brought his fingers up to Dave’s face and began gently massaging his scalp “I’m guessing talking to Steph didn’t go well?”

To this Dave only groaned “It went worse than not well, dreadful really”.

“Aw no Davey” Klaus then pressed a kiss onto the top of Dave’s head “Do you want to talk about it?”

Dave shook his head “No, well not now maybe later, what were you doing until now”. He then gestured his head towards the television mounted on the wall and whatever was paused on it.

“We’re watching America’s Next Top Model” Cheryl happily chimed, and crap in his flurry of emotions he had forgotten his hung-over ex was also in the bed.

“Well don’t let me stop you” Dave replied, it was probably obvious how down he was at that moment and Klaus must have sensed it because not only did he wrap his arm around Dave he also started massaging little circles into his side.

Klaus pointed at the TV “That’s Ann, Cheryl and I think she is a shoe in for the winner and I like her because she is really really weird”.

Chuckling Dave placed a kiss on his temple “Maybe you should be on this show; I mean you definitely have the figure for it”. He then ran his fingers down Klaus’s long arms. It was crazy how just these subtle touches were instantly making him feel so much better.

Dave had done the most difficult thing he had ever done and come out to his sister only for her to ignore his feelings, so he was defiantly entitled to wallow for awhile but Klaus made him not want that, he made him want to feel okay.

Klaus pressed his lips into Dave’s hair again this time leaving him linger for a moment, craning his neck Dave moved up to give Klaus a timid kiss on the lips “Thank you” he whispered.

“Bless you guys” Cheryl added and shit, Dave had completely forgotten again that she was in the bed with them, wow was this a weird situation he thought, his boyfriend, his ex girlfriend and he all just chilling in the bed.

It was short lived however as just after Cheryl uttered the words she hopped out of the bed. “Well Klaus, it has been a pleasure meeting you but I think I best head back to my hotel”. She picked up her dress from the floor; however she left Klaus’s t-shirt on so she didn’t totally look like she was doing the morning after walk. Klaus’s tee was a crop top after all.

Just before leaving she placed her hand on Dave’s shoulder “Whatever happened Dave, I’m sure Steph is just confused. You know that she loves you this is probably just a shock on top of all the stress of the wedding”.

Looking up at her with pleading eyes Dave nods solemnly.

“I’ll see you later Dave, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow Klaus” and she walks out the door.

Klaus lay down on his back and patted his chest inviting Dave to place his face there which Dave happily obliged too. With his ear resting on Klaus’s heartbeat he felt a wave of calm. Klaus then started running his fingers through his hair and he wondered if he could explode from the feeling.

“Do you think I was wrong to do this” Dave sniffles while looking up to catch Klaus’s gaze. “I mean should I have waited until after the wedding, was it selfish to tell her now” and he stares into Klaus’s eyes begging for something, wanting an answer he didn’t even know himself.

Klaus sighs “Dave” he continues running his fingers through Dave’s hair before continuing “You are who you are and you needed to tell her”. Klaus then smiles warmly at him and takes Dave’s hand kissing it “ There’s also the fact that your ex who we already know can’t take her drink, and your sister’s husband know already and would it really have been better for all of this to come out tomorrow when everyone is already shit faced?”

Dave laughs at this “You always know what to say you know that”.

“What can I say I have so many siblings situation de-escalation became second nature”.

Klaus continues just playing with Dave’s hair as Dave adjusts on his chest, the pain in his arm starting to tingle again. He lays there leaning into Klaus’s touch and basks in the sensation of it. Despite how bad his morning had been he still got to come home to this.

“You know” Dave says, catching Klaus’s gaze “She thought I was lying and I’m not sure if she really did think that or if she was just lying to herself to try feel better”.

“Well” Klaus says a mischievous smirk now gracing his face “I had already promised to make out with you in your uncles paint store, I guess I could go down on you in front of your sister, you know just to show her what was up” Klaus giggles. Dave however gulps because the idea of what Klaus said well sans Steph being there was defiantly causing a squirming feeling in him and for his cheeks to begin burning red and Klaus must have seen it too because suddenly Klaus was whispering into his ear. “What is it Davey, do you like a bit of voyeurism or was it the other thing I said”.

And now Dave was intensely nodding “Oh the other thing, certainly the other thing”. God he was such a dweeb that he could not even say it. It didn’t seem like Klaus cared though because he rolled out from under Dave, and took place at his side.

Klaus ran his fingers through Dave’s hair again before leaning in closer to him and pressing their lips together in a sweet kiss. “Just how I like my morning coffee” Klaus whispers only inches from his face, causing Dave to smile.

“I’m sorry I didn’t bring you any”

“It’s okay I’ll just have to kiss it off you” he giggled again as he brought their lips back together, only this time grabbing Dave by the fabric of his t-shirt, forcing Dave to come closer to him. Dave loved this, no he adored this, and the playfulness and how often they joked with another it was all just so tender and sweet. The sweetness of the kiss however was short lived ,as soon Klaus was becoming quicker in his motions and pushing his tongue against Dave’s lips which he happily obliged to, opening his mouth to give him greater access. More so, Dave began running his fingers along Klaus’s slender spine. Klaus still hadn’t put a top on and Dave was glad of it because he wanted to be as close to him as possible.

Klaus whose hand which had been resting on Dave’s chest began moving up and down, the delicate trace of his fingers sending shivers down Dave’s abs. “I like this” Klaus whispered as his fingers ran along the toned muscles.

Dave chuckled “So you said last night, I believe you said you could do a week’s worth of laundry” he laughed out and Klaus smiled up at him. This was great Dave thought how easy everything felt with Klaus, how he felt he could smile and laugh at him in these delicate moments. He really was in total awe of him. He then felt Klaus’s fingers toying with the hem of his t-shirt and he knew exactly what was wanted of him.

Breaking away from him for a moment, he instantly missed the closeness so he made quick work of removing his t-shirt and tossing it into the growing pile of clothes on the floor, playboy ears and army costumes the bedroom floor was turning into a costume department. With the t-shirt now discarded however Dave gave Klaus a cheeky grin, knowing that Klaus was enjoying the view.

Klaus quickly welcomed him back into his arms, “You are so beautiful Dave” he whispered while running his fingers along the side of Dave’s cheek. His touch was so delicate it was almost not there while also so stimulating. More so the action itself was so delicate, when Klaus told him he was beautiful he made it sound like scripture. Dave closed his eyes leaning into the touch where he expected to be met with Klaus’s lips on his own once more.

Klaus moved however choosing not to kiss Dave on the lips but to kiss his jaw, just where it met his neck in slow and tantalising kisses. Kisses that travelled all around the side of his face and then lightly sucking on his pulse, causing Dave to softly moan. He knew Klaus liked this too because he could feel the smile on Klaus’s lips as they continued to travel.

His lips were not the only thing travelling, Dave also felt Klaus’s hand move from his chest to the small of his back and then lower and lower, until he felt Klaus’s hand squeezing him. “I like this too” he said but this time with more jest.

“Come here” Dave laughed and then mirrored his action as he too moved his hand. What followed felt to Dave like hours and perhaps it was as remnants of clothing were lost and bodies came closer to together. Each kiss Klaus pressed into his skin felt like being marked. His lips travelling across him felt like nothing else would ever compare and he truly believed he would never desire anything that was not being in the arms of this man. Dave was officially drunk on the feeling and when soft kisses and touches led to more Dave was positively hooked to it.

Lying naked and pressed against one another Dave could not resist the urge to brush his fingers against Klaus’s cheek. “Don’t take this the wrong way but I have never had sex that has left me so in awe before”. Lifting his face he then pressed a kiss to Klaus’s temple “ Like seriously, I am going to go out on a limb here and say I think that’s what making love feels like”.

Smiling Klaus presses his lips to his “Not to be overly emotional but yeah I totally agree”.

Klaus then smirks “So what you are saying Davey is Never Had you Ever had sex so unbelievably wonderful” and he winks at him causing Dave to start laughing. He felt totally elated.

Wiggling out of the bed, Klaus went straight for his back pack. Dave wasn’t sure what exactly he was doing so he just watched him “Are you alright darling”.

Klaus looks over his shoulder and smirks again “Just superb my lovely, actually I think” he pauses for a second before finally finding what he was looking for.

Klaus turns around and in his hands is the bottle of tequila, the same bottle of tequila they had drank on the plane. The bottle of tequila that gave Dave the courage to kiss him. Klaus opens the bottle “We have to both drink now” he says so quietly it’s almost a whisper.

“Your right” Dave says with jest and he takes the bottle from Klaus’s hands and swigs it straight from the bottle. Klaus jumps down onto the bed, the thud making Dave nearly drop the bottle, which he thankfully doesn’t. He hands it to Klaus and with the dopiest grin ever Klaus drinks.

It only takes around three rounds of passing it back and forth for the bottle to become empty, when it is it is abandoned and Klaus wraps his arms around Dave he utters “You truly are a wonderful man Dave Katz”. They cuddle like that for what feels like forever, content and comfortable and day dreaming.

Dave is again lying on Klaus’s chest when Klaus starts to mumble “Ugh I really should go back to my hotel and get my stuff”. Dave looks up and Klaus smiles at him “Not that I am a psychic or anything but I actually packed a really snazzy suit, like one that will be perfect if I’m going to be attending a wedding”.

Laughing Dave placed a delicate kiss on his cheek “I’m sure it’s absolutely stunning darling”.

Dave then started stroking his cheek for a moment and Klaus closes his eyes as he leans into the touch “What am I going to do when you fly home on Tuesday” Klaus sighs.

Their faces are so near one another that Dave can feel Klaus’s breath on his cheeks as he utters the words. Then without fully thinking he sighs “What if I stay?”

“Huh?” Klaus says as he opens his eye’s and stares at Dave with a puzzled expression.

Dave smiles “Well I was talking to Steph and she said I have French citizenship, that mom got for us as kids, but even without that Americans can stay 90 days without a visa, Klaus I know this may sound crazy” he props himself up from Klaus’s chest “or us moving too fast but I don’t need to be anywhere back in the States and I was thinking maybe we should just travel around see the sites, maybe I could meet those siblings of yours dotted across Europe. I have savings that I was always keeping for some important thing that I wasn’t yet aware of and well this it”.

Klaus just stares at him blankly for a moment “You would really do that, for me” he says and it looks as if he is going to cry.

“Baby, why are you crying?” Dave says before pulling Klaus into a tight hug, using only his good hand as their previous activities had definitely weakened his arm that was hurt in the accident. He then proceeded by running his fingers through his hair.

Klaus sniffles “Nothing, it’s just wow Dave; nobody has ever cared about this much before its wow is all”.

And Dave chucked “Klaus, I don’t know how that’s true but in truth nothing would make me happier than just being with you”.

Klaus then laughs again before pressing his lips onto Dave’s once more and then his neck, and then his chest and before the two of them are aware they are once again lost in one another.

Klaus leaves not long after than conversation, insisting he can find the train station by himself. Dave wondered if that was a jerk move on his part but the two of them had spent so long lounging around he was already running behind schedule for the rehearsal dinner. In Dave’s opinion the entire concept of a rehearsal dinner was silly; it was really just an excuse for the primary families to check each other out. But they had all already met before. Maybe he was still just angry at Steph from earlier, maybe it wasn’t the dinner he was pissed about at all. Still with a lack of attention to detail he haphazardly got dressed into his suit and left for the small walk to the restaurant.

It wasn’t far, only a few minutes up the canal and it was actually a nice restaurant. As Dave entered he admired the décor although if it was up to him he thought it was a bit much for the setting. The red tones of the furniture and the use of mirrors on most of the walls made everything feel tight and small and maybe he was over thinking things but he couldn’t help but feel self conscious that his cool toned suit made him stick out like a sore thumb against the warm colours. It wasn’t that the warm colours were bad; he had been in many places and admired them for just that. Perhaps it was that he found himself comparing the classic décor to the kitche little place he and Klaus had eaten in Amsterdam. The place where Klaus saw his sisters ex and had used Dave’s phone. Dave had not thought it at the time but giving Klaus is phone in that moment had been so pivotal in delivering Klaus to him.

Everything considered perhaps he was being overtly judgemental and he should give the restaurant a chance before making his mind up about the place. At the entrance as the woman took his coat he took in his own appearance. Dave was usually a massive critique of his looks but he actually thought he looked good.

As he waited for his ticket to be returned to him however he noticed something, poking out from his collar was a mark that at first he thought was a smudge on the mirror but upon closer inspection he noticed was a purple blotch. It wasn’t big it was more speckled than anything but alas it was sticking out making itself known. The woman working the cloak room must have noticed too because suddenly she was laughing at him “You had fun” she joked at him.

He turned around in a panic, completely unsure of what to do. He turned so fast however he didn’t notice the person standing next to him and he thumped into them with great force.

“Dave woah” Cheryl laughed as she took a step back, suddenly her face formed into a ‘o’ shape and she bit back a smile “Um Dave I’m not sure if you know but you have a love bite showing”.

Dave groaned “Oh god, how bad” he then covered it with his fingers. Klaus had straight up told him it would leave a mark and in his euphoria of the moment he insisted that they keep going.

Cheryl smiled “It’s not too bad, I could cover it with some makeup if you want?”

Dave nodded like a mad man, “Cheryl you are an angel”.

Cheryl takes him by the arm and leads him to the side of the restaurant where there is a unisex bathroom stall which they both filter into.

“I was the first to arrive” she says “I was sitting at the bar, saw you suddenly freak out and I was wondering why”. She then hands him a glass of red wine “Take it you probably need it more”.

Without prompt Cheryl reaches into her handbag and takes out the makeup and the brush which she starts softly applying as Dave sips on the wine. Really is this not what he wanted, something to prove to Steph although the hickey didn’t say Klaus or anything so it wouldn’t back his point up much.

He smiles at Cheryl as she continues her work “You realise Steph will think you did this” he laughs.

“ Yeah, and if not the love bite once we come out of this bathroom together she is definitely going to think that”.

Dave chuckles “I still can’t believe that I telling my sister I’m gay somehow translated in her head as you and I getting back together”.

Cheryl then put her hand on her heart and sighed “I’m so sorry to hear that Dave, that must be awful”.

He shrugged “You know it is what it is”.

Cheryl then had a smile on her face “Hey want to hear something great?”

“Why of course” he replied.

She then got skittish “So Klaus showed me his brother Luther, and oh my god Dave he wasn’t lying the guy is built like a house” she then produces her phone showing Dave a picture of the guy, and yeah the guy was huge. She giggles “We have been texting all day, the guy is so sweet Dave, and he is going to get the train to Amsterdam on Monday so we can meet”.

Dave gives Cheryl a massive smile and nod “That’s amazing Cheryl, and wow what a gentleman coming to Amsterdam to see you”.

“I know, gosh Dave look at us dating brothers this is some crazy home economics”

They both laugh before vacating the stall, which thankfully nobody sees them leave together. Turning the corner back to the main area of the restaurant Dave spots his mother. Alone and looking miserable his mom sits at the bar, sipping a glass of red wine.

“Uh oh your mom doesn’t look happy” Cheryl groans

“She never looks happy” he whispers back.

As they approach her Dave thinks back to him and Steph’s conversation from earlier regarding his citizenship, why had his mom lied to him about? He decided those thoughts were best addressed later however as this definitely was not the time or place.

Upon reaching the bar his mother gives Cheryl and up down look before taking her attention to Dave. “David, I am glad to see my son is still alive I have not seen you since your arrival although I can now see why”. She then once again gives Cheryl a disapproving look. He wonders if his mom see’s through the makeup on his neck but before Dave has a chance to give a reply however they are quickly jolted by the arrival of the rest of the party.

Wessel is the first to approach him giving him a massive hug, followed by Maccus and his parents. It was crazy that his sister’s mother in law had just shown him more affection than his own mother. His mother had always been cold like that though. The parents began talking to themselves when the rest of them fell into pleasant conversation.

“I must say” Wessel said between laughter “It is odd seeing Dave here without Klaus, I don’t think I have seen you guys not touching each other”.

Maccus then joined in “I totally agree Steph my dear those two are rivals to us for sure”. Both Dutch men were so lost in their still laughing that they did not notice the look of shock on the Katz sibling's faces.

It was as if Dave’s eyes turned into saucers and he suddenly felt so overwhelmingly nervous, he wondered why though. He wanted Steph to know about Klaus, his brother in law had essentially ripped off the band aid for him yet he felt like he was going to be sick. The same could not be said for Steph however while she did look shocked she also looked overwhelmingly confused. It was crazy for Dave to think that it had in fact only been seconds since anyone spoke.

She turned to Maccus “I’m sorry dear, what are you talking about?”

Maccus then wiped a tear “Oh you know, Dave’s boyfriend Klaus, Klaus mentioned earlier that he was going to tell you”. The fact of what he had done most have registered for Maccus as he suddenly looked much less relaxed. His face then froze “Dave, Klaus said you were telling Steph when you left after breakfast”.

Steph nodded “Yes, um Dave will you come with me to order some drinks?” she then put her arm on his leading him to the side of the bar.

Before they got far, however, their mom grabbed their attention “Children you have had your entire lives to chat, come the table is ready” she said before leading them away.

Sitting at the table before they are served, Maccus’s parents start talking about meeting Steph and the families chat pleasantly. He then feels a buzz in his pocket, looking down he smiles at the text from Klaus.

*‘ _I’m back on the train now, how is the dinner?’_

With lightning speed Dave texts back,

_* I think there will be drama Maccus and Wessel mentioned you as my boyfriend, Steph wanted to talk again but mom interrupted us._

Dave is about to put his phone away when a new text alerts him

_*You know my offer to suck you off in front of her still stands._

Dave feels his cheeks start to turn pink when his mother grabs his attention, “David, phones at the table are unmannered” she then turned to Maccus’s parents “Please excuse David he has been in company which I feel lessened his manners”. His mother then gave Cheryl another up and down look.

The food comes out and thankfully conversation returns to a sense of normality. His mother largely keeps her mouth closed, having not much to interject when Steph and Maccus continue their talk about their jobs.

Dave actually thinks the dinner isn’t too bad; Wessel and Maccus’s parents are a delight as they talk about welcoming Steph into their family and how much they love her. Dave is actually glad that they are so nice; maybe his sister will finally get a kind and loving maternal figure.

After dinner and before dessert Maccus’s family excuse themselves to go for a cigarette and that is when tension starts.

Once the Dutch family are out of view his mom scoffs, “Those poor parents” she says as she looks over her shoulder to ensure they are gone.

“Excuse me” Steph says

“No not because of you or your fiancée Stephanie, the other brother the fa”

“I don’t think that word is appropriate Mrs Katz” Cheryl fires in and Dave has never seen her interject with such confidence before.

“That is no way to speak to your future mother in law young lady” his mom ridicules once again looking at Cheryl like that.

“Cheryl and I aren’t together Mom could you please stop looking at her like that” Dave pleads and he hopes Cheryl can see how thankful he is of her.

“David please tell this girl, this girl who has no business telling me what I can and can’t say, how this family views those hideous lifestyles that that brother chooses to live”.

All eyes are suddenly on him and Dave chokes. Shaking Dave gets up from the table, he doesn’t excuse himself, and he doesn’t even try giving an explanation he just leaves. Everything in the restaurant the mirrors, the red décor the circular table in a matter of seconds the restaurant transformed into the definition of claustrophobia. Outside the restaurant he had to sit down, he was hyperventilating he couldn’t get enough air and his eyes were definitely watering.

He suddenly felt an arm being wrapped around him and he was being pulled into a tight hug.

He couldn’t remember the last time Steph had held him like this; it was probably when their dad died but he still couldn’t place it. She held him tight for a few seconds as she moved so she too was sitting on the ground. Considering it was October this couldn’t be good for either of them but he didn’t care.

“Steph I...” he whimpered not even able to finish the sentence and then the tears really started flowing and suddenly his sister was crying too.

“No Dave I’m sorry, I’m so sorry Dave you tried to be honest and I was such a bitch and I didn’t help you in there, I should have told mom shut up”

He shook his head “You were overwhelmed” he wiped a tear and looked at her “Steph I’m so sorry but I can’t go back in there, its mom and what she is saying Steph I can’t”.

Steph nods “I know, to be honest, I thought about not inviting her but Maccus and I wanted to try playing happy families, I can ask mom to leave?”

“No it's fine, you’re in laws are here and she won’t say anything in front of them it’s just...” He didn’t want to sit next to his mother feeling hated, even if she didn’t know yet he still couldn’t do it. 

Steph used her thumb to wipe his tears the same way she did when they were kids “I know you haven’t had one in years but how about I tell mom you had an asthma attack and you can go, I’ll say seeing her get mad at Cheryl shook you, or I can ask mom to go”.

Gulping Dave looks at her “Tell them it was asthma, I’ll tell mom eventually but I can’t do it now”

Steph nods once more before giving Dave a kiss on the cheek “I may not have shown it enough, but I do love you now go to Clarke”

“Klaus” he corrects as he smiles timidly.

“Klaus” she repeats “Wait here, I'll grab your coat”. She then offers her hand to help him stand up.

Standing alone in the cold Dave finally begins to feel calm, he takes out his phone and texts Klaus that he will be home soon and then just allows the night air to calm him.

“Mom is none the wiser” Steph says as she wraps his scarf around his neck “Nice hicky by the way” she jokes, and Dave laughs to because he was so close to nobody noticing.

He gives Steph one more hug before leaving “Thank you for understanding” he whispers and she nods

“I don’t fully understand everything yet but I promise I will listen and believe you from now on and you were right Dad would want honesty from us”.

Steph stays standing in the cold as he leaves and he wonders is this the right decision, should he have taken Steph up on the offer to ask mom to leave but there was no knowing what kind of scene she would make and especially now that she had alcohol in her.

Returning to the house Dave finds Klaus sitting on the front porch, all the luggage he had left the airport with in tow. His hair was tousled and he sat there inhaling a joint as he looked absently at the canal and Dave was sure that Klaus had not spotted him yet. He looked so lost in thought as he inhaled and Dave felt himself being more and more in awe.

When he finally reached the apartment he gave Klaus a warm smile before joining him on the step “ I’m such an idiot” he says as he lays his head down on Klaus’s shoulder. “If I was smart I would have given you my key, have you been waiting long?”

Klaus returned the warm smile “Nah, maybe fifteen mins at most, you can just let me in and you can get back to the dinner or bar or whatever”.

Dave then put his arm around Klaus’s shoulders pulling them closer together “Now why would I want to do that when I can spend time with you?” He then used his free hand to comb Klaus’s hair out from his eyes before giving him the lightest kiss on the nose.

“What happened to the Dave Katz I met on the plane that said ‘you do for family’ or am I remembering wrong,” Klaus said with a smirk on his lips.

“Oh that guy? Don’t know him, this Dave just wants to order some pizza and lounge around with his boyfriend before the shit show that is going to be tomorrow”. Sure Steph was okay with things now and this wedding was becoming less and less dreadful but that didn’t mean it was going to less stressful, his mom was there after all.

Klaus then started giggling “Okay I guess that’s a fair enough answer” he then hands Dave the joint “Here you like you could use this”.

Dave gladfully takes it and as he inhales wonders why he and Klaus had not done this again since their initial getting high together in Amsterdam. What was crazier was how much had changed since then. In Amsterdam he was still coming to terms with the possibility of being outdoors and holding Klaus’s hand, now he was with him as his boyfriend.

Without even realising it Dave finished the joint “I’m sorry I guess I didn’t realise how much I needed it” he sighed before bashfully burying his head on Klaus’s shoulder feeling the effect of it loosening all of his muscles.

Klaus then ruffled his hair “You are too cute Davey, come on let's go inside I have plenty more weed and we can cuddle on the couch”.

“My god you are so perfect” Dave whispered before brushing their lips together before Klaus extended his hand to help him stand up.

“So I have been told, seriously though I m starting to freeze my ass off out here”

And Dave laughed, yes they would have a lovely few hours just being in each other’s company before the inevitable wedding, but the dread could wait for now he could focus on the warm feeling of just being with his boyfriend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Everyone !!!! It has been a bit and I am so sorry that this update took so long. I started a new job six weeks ago that's relevant to my degree so it requires a lot more thinking time so again I am so sorry this took so long. I wrote the first draft of this maybe a month ago but my lovely beta reader had given me really good feedback so this chapter went through a long editing process but I'm so happy with it. I'm sorry there wasn't much Klaus in this chapter but we are building building building the DRAMA my babies. As always comments feed my soul
> 
> much love  
> Naomi


	5. The Brother Of The Bride

Dallas?

Why could he hear the opening of Dallas?

In his sleepy state, Dave could not comprehend the music playing around him. "Wake up my lovely" Klaus whispers into Dave’s ear, his stubble slightly tickling him. Dave stirs in his sleep but doesn’t rouse. Giggling Klaus starts tracing patterns onto Dave’s chest. “Come on Davey I have a surprise for you”.

That is when Dave remembers that Dallas is Klaus’s alarm tone. “Sleepy” Dave responds, slightly more alert but his eyes still tightly fixed.

Klaus then starts placing kisses on his cheeks and his forehead and his nose, pretty much anywhere. Content in the attention Dave finally decides to open his eyes, and it was a sight he could get used to.

"Good Morning Beautiful," Klaus said in a slightly raspy voice, his hair as Dave had come to learn was an absolute mess, curls poking in every direction.

Dave looked out the window noting the pitch darkness and the quiet stillness of the canal outside “Is it really morning?”

Klaus laughed “Well its 6 am, but that counts as the morning". Leaping out of the bed he grabbed Dave's good arm "Come on Dave, I really do have a surprise for you". He looked so happy that Dave had to do what he said so he left the warmth of the bed and joined his boyfriend.

Raising his hands in defeat Dave sighs “Okay I trust you”.

Giggling Klaus pressed a kiss to his cheek “Excellent, absolutely wonderful” he laughed out as he darted for the closet and began throwing clothes at Dave “Wrap up warm it’s freezing outside”. 

Dressed up warm, Dave found himself holding Klaus’s hand as Klaus led him down the street. “I had this idea when I was on the train yesterday” Klaus beams as he keeps a close grip on Dave’s fingers.

Dave adored how well their hands slotted together, Klaus’s hands were smaller than his and the perfect size to fit in his. His long dainty fingers fit into Dave’s calloused hands and he enjoyed the tenderness of the moment.

Dave was so lost in thought he didn’t notice that Klaus had stopped walking and had stepped in front of him “Dave” Klaus says joyfully “It’s one of the buildings you like”.

Looking across the street Dave smiles, across the canal is a crow-stepped gable building, red brick and highly elegant. It seems to be someone's home and he smiles that such an old building is probably still creating new memories. "You remembered," Dave says.

"Of course I remembered what kind of guy do you take me for," Klaus says with a carefree grin. In that moment Dave can't resist and he holds Klaus's hand to his chest and lightly pushes him against the wall they are standing in front of.

With his free hand, Dave tenderly strokes Klaus’s cheek before leaning in to press their lips together. As their lips move, Dave can feel Klaus’s smile which only leads him to deepen the kiss. Klaus meanwhile begins dancing his fingers down the length of Dave’s spine before bringing his hand back up to tangle into Dave’s hair. Dave laughs at the thought that people will be waking for work and here he and Klaus are, making out like teenagers.

"Thank you for your surprise," Dave says between kisses.

“Dave” Klaus says with a grin “This isn’t you surprise”. He squeezes Dave’s hand where they are still joined at his chest “Come on, we better get moving if we want to actually do the surprise”.

Amicably Dave nods and allows Klaus to once again lead him away.

This is how he finds himself in the train station, Klaus having just scanned two prior purchased tickets. As if Klaus can sense Dave’s anxiety he turns to him “Don’t worry we are only going 15 minutes away, lots of time to get back and ready for the wedding”.

“I trust you” he replies.

“Excellent now let’s go” Klaus then tugs him along with him and they hop onto a train due to leave in the next few minutes.

Unlike the train, they boarded together in Amsterdam this train is dead, it's probably too early for the commuter crowd so they take a four person booth. Klaus slides next to him and wraps his arms around Dave's neck.

Dave turns to him, noting how the cold has tinted Klaus’s cheeks and nose pink “I should have wrapped you up better”.

“Would have been no use, Mom used to have war with me to wear more layers”.

Dave shakes his head "Darling if we are going to be together we are going to take the risk of hypothermia very seriously".

“Aww” wails Klaus “But then I won’t have an excuse to cuddle into you”. He reinforces his point by snuggling further into Dave, their chests now touching.

Brushing his lips against the top of Klaus’s head Dave smiles “You’re wrong, I have no self control when it comes to snuggling with you”.

It is at that moment that Dave notices that since meeting Klaus Hargreeves he has not slept without him and he knows it seems too soon or perhaps even crazy but he can’t imagine going to sleep without Klaus cuddling into him. The train pulls out of the station and with a huge smile on his face Klaus kisses his cheek “You’re going to love this”.

After a short fifteen minutes, he and Klaus were exiting the train platform. "So" Klaus begins, "When you and I took the canal tour in Amsterdam I was in pure awe of what you said to me about the buildings and what they mean to you and I wondered how I could add to that”. He turns waving their joined hands and taking Dave’s free hand in his so he can sway their arms together “I thought I should research buildings to show how interested I am”. He grins “I could say that the crow gabled building we saw is typical 17th century architecture”.

Dave’s smile doubles as he prepares to kiss Klaus again but Klaus stops him “But then I thought you already know all of that”. He untangles their hands and nods behind him to a gate “Davey this is the nearest botanical garden I could find, we are going to watch the sunrise over the flowers”.

Dave is stuck for words “For me, you did this for me?”

Klaus laughs “I may have told a few lies and used my Dad’s name, the gardens belong to the university and I said I was on a research trip so they agreed to let us into the gardens before hours, I know its a bullshit excuse but I told them that this was my last chance”.

“You cunning minx” Dave laughs and Klaus simply shrugs “Hey flashing Daddy’s name has its occasional perks”.

As they walked through the gardens Klaus stopped. "The ivy growing on the walls means fidelity," he says and Dave smiles.

“A lot of the buildings I like are old ones, with Ivy bushes growing along with them".

Klaus giggles “You Dave Katz are a man of high class, here sit with me”.

They sit on a bench with a view stretching along the horizon where the sky will soon be lit up by the sun. A greenhouse sits to their right.

“They have tulips in there, lots of people will flood here in the spring to see them” Klaus nods “But I think people need to appreciate the winter flowers more”.

Dave smiles “Are you too cool for the summer plants or something Klaus?”

Klaus then stands up from the bench pointing down the field “No, summer plants are cool I just think the summer flowers are like summertime music festivals whereas winter plants are like downtown gigs, and they are beautiful as fuck”.

He points and Dave glances down “You see those purple flowers down there?”

“They are beautiful”

“Yeah they are, they’re called cyclamen and you know what giving someone cyclamens mean?”

Dave shakes his head “I’m afraid I don’t darling”. Even if he did know, he knows he would have lied in that moment just to see the joy on Klaus’s face as he got to explain it to him.

“Well for starters I’m not picking you any because I think these dudes’ deserve to grow but let’s pretend me showing you is the same as giving them to you”.

Dave chuckles lightly and squeezes Klaus’s hand slightly “Well you did give me the opportunity to see them, so tell me lovely what do they mean?”

"Well my dear, cyclamen symbolise a sincere tenderness, it can withstand difficult conditions and then bloom, and I thought to myself that you hurting yourself in a car crash is what allowed what we have to happen and" Klaus chuckles nervously "I just thought that was beautiful".

Dave is chocked for words, beautiful, Klaus is beautiful, the flower too and the moments is too pure to be real. Dave stands up from the bench and takes Klaus’s hand “Klaus could you stand up on the bench?”

Without questioning and with a smile Klaus steps up clinging to Dave’s hand.

“Klaus what you said was the most romantic thing I have ever heard, and well under different circumstances I would lift you in the air and spin you around but um" he darts his eye to his arm "I'm currently not fit for that but I want you to see how highly I think of you, I think you are amazing Klaus Hargreeves".

With the largest grin possible Klaus wraps his arms around Dave’s neck and gives him the deepest kiss.

Just as the sun starts to rise.

Somewhere during the kissing Klaus steps down from the bench and they cling to one another, becoming so lost in the kiss when they break apart they notice the sky has become lit up with orange and pink hues.

"Dave," Klaus says admiringly, "I think we are supposed to be together". Their faces are so close that Klaus's words kiss Dave's cheeks and he grins at Klaus. Klaus's arms are still wrapped around his neck and with his hands on Klaus's lower back, he pulls him closer to him.

“I’m inclined to agree”

“I think even without this trip we would always have found each other” Klaus whispers and his fingers begin playing with the short hair at the nape of Dave’s neck.

“We would have met at work back in New York," he says playfully. Dave moves one of his hands and caresses Klaus’s cheek “Some rich lady in Muttontown would hire you to grow her some genetically modified roses”.

Klaus giggles softly “And her husband Mr Big would hire you to design bespoke furniture for their pool house”.

"And they would throw a fancy schmancy party to show everything off and I would sneak off for some peace and there you would be".

“Where would I be?” Klaus says with jest.

“You would be, at the side of the house smoking and just gazing off and you would be so beautiful that I wouldn’t be able to resist myself.

Klaus laughs “I wouldn’t be able to resist you either and we would go into that pool house and make out all over whatever solid rosewood furniture you made them”.

Dave giggles too now and begins peppering Klaus’s face with kisses “No matter what I think we were always supposed to meet”.

With that, they once again become lost in each other's lips

“Thank you Klaus” Dave whispers as he swaps kissing for hugging, tucking Klaus’s head onto his shoulder “This is amazing, this is lovely”.

“I’m glad you like it Dave” he whispers back.

With that, they leave some words unsaid, as bird’s chirp and the world wakes up Dave hold Klaus close and hugs him. It was barely 7 am; the day was going to be strenuous. There was no knowing how it would play out especially considering his mother and how she could be. But right now in this moment, it didn't matter, he had Klaus and that was all he needed.

It almost felt wrong to leave the gardens and return to the house but reluctantly they did, and Dave once again found himself cuddling Klaus on the train only this time a much busier carriage filled with commuters. Not that he cared anymore, Klaus was the most amazing guy he had ever met and it was a privilege to be seen with him.

It wasn’t long before they were making their way back into the house, some coffee and pastries in hand. It was almost 7.40 so Dave suspected the house would still be quiet, the wedding wasn’t until 1.30 after all. Dave took a seat at the kitchen table to begin his coffee. Klaus meanwhile pulled a chair flush against his so they could be as close as possible. Klaus leaned his head against Dave’s. “This has been the craziest five days of my entire life”.

And it hit Dave just how insane this all was, they only knew each other five days. One week ago the name Klaus Hargreeves would have meant nothing to him, and now, well now it meant everything to him. "This has been the best five days of my life," Dave said. "This has been the first five days I feel I have been myself in the longest time, thank you, Klaus".

Klaus laughed "No need to thank me, Davey, you did all of this yourself".

Dave laughed and kissed his cheek “No, I didn’t. Klaus you gave me the confidence and I have you to thank”.

Without replying Klaus leaned forward to take Dave’s lips in his and Dave became lost in the perfection of the moment.

Breaking the kiss Dave leaned his forehead against Klaus's and he smiled at him. There are words he wants to say but he wants to wait for the perfect moment so instead, he kisses Klaus on the cheek.

“ _Goedemorgen_ boys," Antoni says cheerfully as he enters the kitchen followed by Wessel.

"That's Dutch for good morning" Wessel translates. The pair notice the three coffee cups on the counter and take one.

“This your doing Dave?” Wessel asks and he pulls a chair up to the table.

Dave nods “Yeah, Klaus and I went out for a little excursion”.

"Oooh, an excursion? Pray tell me where" Antoni laughs out as he takes out his cigarettes offering one to Klaus.

Klaus lights the cigarette and takes a single inhale before grinning “Davey and I took the train to the Delft botanical gardens”.

Both men look totally gobsmacked and Klaus leans his head down onto Dave's shoulder with Dave wrapping an arm around him.

"Are the gardens even open at this hour?" asks Wessel to which Klaus and Dave share a knowing grin.

"They are not but my Klaus has friends in high places" Dave replies to which a skittish Klaus kisses him on the cheek.

“God Wessel take some notes on romance, your brothers in law are the kings of it”.

The group fall into an amicable conversation as they eat the pastries and drink their coffee, throughout the conversation, Dave notices that at no time do he and Klaus take their hands off each other. Klaus is either lying on his shoulder, or he has an arm wrapped around Klaus or they are simply holding hands. To Dave touching Klaus just feels as natural as breathing.

"Morning fellas" Maccus announces as he saunters into the kitchen, plucking a cigarette from Antoni's pack on the table and lighting it. He turns to Dave "I don't often smoke Dave, your sister hates it but with the wedding, I think I've earned a few".

Wessel laughs “With your mother and law you have earned about forty, no offence Dave”.

Dave shrugs “No offence taken, my mother is a nightmare”.

After breakfast everyone leaves to begin getting ready, Klaus and Dave follow suit returning to their bedroom.

"So," says Klaus "Do you want to take the first shower or shall I?"

Dave pauses for a moment and he decides to be bold “You could go” he says but before Klaus exits into the bathroom he speaks again “Or, we could maybe go together?”

Klaus smiles “Why David how environmentally conscious of you”.

With the moment lightened Dave grins “Hey you know me baby”.

Klaus takes him by his hand entwining their fingers ever so delicately and leads them into the en suite bathroom.

Dave has no idea why but in the moment he is self conscious which didn’t make sense, he and Klaus had seen each other naked they had had sex and yet he worried what Klaus would think of him.

Klaus took both of his hands in his and looked him in the eye “Hey, we don’t have to do this if you don’t want to”.

And Dave just shook his head “No I’m just being shy which is crazy because we’ve seen each other naked”.

"Yeah but that was for sex," Klaus says matter of factly.

Dave gives him a confused look and Klaus smiles at him “Being naked during sex is a given you expect it but showering is usually done alone and it's intimate so I totally get why you are shy”. Klaus then steps back to take his shirt off, revealing his sallow skin and his deep V, he giggles “I’ll go first”.

Ever the showman Klaus takes a step back and removes the rest of his clothes slowly and tantalisingly when he is reduced to his underwear he gives Dave a cheeky grin "Look Dave it’s like our first day together, a train journey followed by me in my underwear”.

Dave laughs “You woke us up to Dallas to that day as well”. Before Klaus removes his underwear Dave quickly removes his own clothing to catch up. Klaus was right when they were having sex it was more about the motions then truly looking at each other, adding to the intimacy of the moment.

“I’ll show you mine if you show me yours” Klaus laughs as he takes his underwear off. Dave follows him and they step into the shower.

"Now if we were smart we would have turned the water on to warm it," Klaus says but Dave reaches behind him and turns the water on "Now what kind of environmentalists would we be if we did that” he manages to say just before the freezing water pours down on top of them.

Klaus shrieks upon contact and he clings to Dave’s chest. Dave laughs “Aw baby do you not like cold showers?”

Klaus’s teeth are chattering and he glares at Dave “What kind of sadist are you that you enjoy them”

Dave laughs and he pets Klaus’s wet hair “Aw I’m sorry baby”.

By this stage, the water is finally warming up and he places a kiss on the top of Klaus's head, selfishly he hopes the added temperature doesn't cause Klaus to move because the feeling of their chests against each other and the water drizzling down onto them is something he is truly enjoying.

Klaus pouts “Just don’t do it again” and he kisses Dave on the cheek “Next time I’m in charge and we are having a nice warm bath”.

Dave laughs “Sounds good to me dear, now turn around”.

Klaus laughs “Oooh Davey you want the good view of my butt?”

Dave rolls his eyes “I want to wash your hair, but I won’t object to the good view”.

Giggling Klaus raises one hand in the air before doing a full turn to which he finishes by kissing Dave on the cheek.

Dave grins “Stunning”.

“Your turn now Dave” Klaus jokes.

Despite being slightly embarrassed Dave does so and steps out slightly from the wall so he can do a turn when he reaches the halfway point he feels Klaus lightly smack him.

“Klauuuuus” he groans but it is clear he is only joking.

When he returns to face his boyfriend Klaus has the largest smile on his face. "What can I say, I like I touch," he says with a shrug.

Dave grabs the bottle of shampoo “Alright now turn around”

Klaus does as he is told and swirls so his back is now to Dave. Dave takes the moment to simply admire him, his shoulders are small and dainty but they compliment the long stretch of his back. Dave shakes his head though to focus on the task at hand, squeezing some shampoo into his hands and massaging it into Klaus’s hair.

"I haven't had my hair washed in the longest time," Klaus says and he leans his head back enjoying the sensation. Dave tries to be gentle but he notices Klaus enjoying when he uses more vigour. Dave is extra careful to not let any get in Klaus’s eyes and he grins as the suds on his head wash clear.

When he is finished Klaus turns around "You have magic hands, Dave," he says.

Dave smiles at him “Yeah you may have mentioned that already” and Klaus playfully hit his hand.

"Let me do you now," he says and Dave doesn't need to be asked twice. He allows Klaus's long fingers to lather his hair and he understands exactly why Klaus enjoyed it so much. The act is intimate and close and tender. When Klaus declares that he is finished Dave needs to catch him with a kiss.

“Woah Davey” Klaus laughs and he wraps his arms around Dave’s neck.

Dave laughs “We better calm down, I don’t want either of us to trip and fall”.

Klaus nods “Yeah I guess your right but next time we are having a bath where I make the rules”.

“And I cannot wait”

Grabbing the shower gel they both lather their hands and wash one another and Dave will admit that they perhaps were having too much fun with it and probably spent way longer than necessary on each other’s chests.

When they leave the bathroom wrapped in fluffy white towels Dave smiles at the way Klaus has tied his, rather than hanging on his hips the towel is fixed around his chest, another on his hair. "You're so cute," he says and he ruffles the towel on Klaus's hair.

Klaus goes to his suitcase where he pulls out a hairdryer.

"Wow," says Dave "you pack prepared".

“Perfection takes preparation Davey baby, come here I’ll do yours first”.

Klaus instructs Dave to sit down as he kneels behind him so he can run the hairdryer through Dave's curls". Dave is quickly learning how addictive the feeling of Klaus's hands in his hair is and when the hot air stops a few minutes later he wishes it could have lasted longer.

“Go start getting dressed I’ll be another few minutes with mine," Klaus says and he begins applying mousse to his hair.

As Klaus continues Dave unzips the dry cleaner bag that has been keeping his suit clean and he has to admit, it’s a really nice suit; dark grey almost black with a glen check on the blazer. It’s also tailored which he is very glad that he paid extra for because he looks great. He begins to tie his black bow tie when he notices he is making a mess of it.

Klaus still in his towel comes in front of him and without prompt begins tying it. "No offence, but you were making a job of that". With ease, Klaus finishes and then smoothes Dave's blazer. "You look amazing," he says with a smile.

Dave leans his head onto Klaus’s shoulder and pulls Klaus who is still in a towel into an embrace. They sway together for a moment before Dave spins Klaus around so they can look at their reflections.

"We make a pretty pair," Dave says with a laugh. Klaus endearingly pinches his cheek before going to begin getting dressed.

"Don't look?" Klaus says "I want to surprise you with my snazzy suit".

“Fine” Dave laughs “How about I go make us some mimosas?”

Klaus laughs "Well we are going to a wedding, after all, sounds good".

Dave spends longer than probably necessary filling the glasses with ice and pouring just the right amount of prosecco before topping it with a strawberry.

After a few minutes, he returns to the room where he lightly taps on the door.

"Come in," Klaus says in a sing song voice.

"Wow," Dave says as he looks at Klaus. His blazer is a deep forest green and made of velvet, combined with a black tie, shirt and slacks. Dave never had been fond of black on black but on Klaus, it was awe inspiring. He came behind Klaus and set the glasses down on the locker. He ran his hands down the soft velvet of his sleeves. The smooth fabric gave him Goosebumps and he noticed Klaus’s reflection in the mirror and how Klaus closed his eyes as he allowed the sensation wash over him. Dave moved his hands back up and rested them on Klaus’s cheeks “You’re divine” he whispered.

Breaking the seriousness of the moment Klaus began giggling and kissed Dave on the cheek before spinning around to kiss his lips "And you Dave Katz are a revelation".

A second knock on the door quickly alerts the two of them. “It’s open," Dave says, for once he and Klaus are actually decent.

Wessel saunters in with a smile “Wow the two of you clean up great, missing a little something though?”. Klaus looks to Dave in confusion and Dave has a moment of panic. “Hey Dave, no worries we figured," Wessel then tosses a kippah to Klaus. "I figured black would match," he says jokingly.

Klaus nods and holds it in his hands, "As a guest, you only need to wear it at the ceremony” Wessel says.

Klaus nods “Thanks”.

Dave points to his own which is also plain black and still laid out on the bed, “We match” he jokes.

Klaus takes Dave's hands in his own and spends a few minutes just swaying with him. "Hey," he says looking mischievous "Want to have a little fun?"

“How so” Dave replies with a single raised eyebrow to which Klaus begins hysterically laughing.

“Want to prank my brother into thinking we’re eloping?”

Dave laughs too “You know what, why the hell not”.

Klaus giggles and looks down at his watch “Perfect, you haven’t met Diego yet which will make it funnier and it’s like 2 a.m in Mexico City”

“Is it really a good idea to wake him?”

"It'll be funny" Klaus assures and Dave shrugs because this is the brother Klaus mentioned having drunken nights out within his teen years.

Klaus gets Dave to sit with him on the bed as he sets up the video call and balances his phone on the locker. Slyly he winks at Dave as the phone starts ringing. Dave gulps, he wonders if pissing off someone while they are sleeping will actually be funny but he stops being able to consider anything when the phone picks up on the third ring.

“Hello?” comes a groggy voice, and now Dave is sure that they woke the guy up.

"Diego sweetheart," Klaus says overly excited and he bounces himself on the bed as he greets his sleepy brother.

Diego turns the bed sight lamp on illuminating himself in a strong orange glow. Dave has to remind himself that Klaus and all his siblings are adopted before he comments to the stranger that they look nothing alike.

Diego brings his phone closer to his face and blinks a couple of time. "Klaus, what's going on who's that?" Then in perhaps the funniest two plus two equals four moments Diego blinks to realization, "Klaus wait is that the guy you were kissing in Amsterdam?" he runs a hand through his short hair "What the hell Klaus what are you still doing with him?"

Klaus and Dave share a look and Klaus is about to start his rouse when Dave blurts in “Hi Diego” he says “My name is Dave, you see I’m on the run from the U.S right now and your brother has agreed to marry me so I can take refuge under his Dutch citizenship”.

Klaus laughs with him "It's all true Diego, Dave here is the definition of being gay do crime and you know me I couldn't resist". Klaus takes Dave's hand tightly in his own "Anyway we weren't going to tell anyone but we are going to the registry office now to elope".

“Elope!” Diego shrieks “Klaus wasn’t your flight on like the 14th of October, Today is like the 18th you can't be serious”.

Dave can tell Klaus is holding in his laughter, he practically looks like he will burst at the seams “Hey Diego you know there’s no times like the present”.

Diego then launches into a massive rant and Klaus can no longer contain himself and he starts giggling into Dave’s shoulder. He brings his lips close to Dave’s ear “He is really dumb if you wake him up in the middle of the night, if it was day time he would have called bullshit”.

Dave laughs too “I’m glad to see how much you respect that”.

"Hey, hey, hey what are you two laughing about," Diego says.

Klaus shrugs “Nothing now listen Di we have to go get married so you should go back to sleep and I’ll send you the pictures”.

“Klaus wha..” Diego says but he doesn’t get to finish before Klaus hangs up the phone.

Dave ruffles Klaus’s hair “Your awful Klaus” he laughs.

Klaus shrugs “Listen there’s a chance he will convince himself he dreamt this or maybe” Klaus looks Dave dead in the eye “Maybe he will fly here from Mexico to beat you up”.

Dave holds Klaus by the waist, his two thumbs pressing into the velvet covering Klaus's hip bones "He can certainly try" Dave then picks up the mimosa's they had abandoned. "To us," he says.

“To us” Klaus replies as they clink their glasses and enjoy the drink.

They move to the kitchen where they share a few drinks with the boys as a professional photographer takes candid shots. The photographer takes pictures of them drinking champagne, pictures of Maccus and Wessel putting suits on and lastly group pictures.

"Dave, Klaus," Maccus says with a smile "Go out front and get a picture you boys deserve it".

Standing in front of the red brick of the house, Dave wraps his arm around Klaus’s waist and holds him close.

“We can tell Diego these are our wedding pictures” Klaus giggles.

With a huge smile, Dave bops Klaus's nose "He'll never know".

They share the moment laughing before the photographer coughing interrupts them. “I need to meet the bride now, I was told to bring the brother with me”.

Dave nods “That’s me”.

He gives Klaus a large hug “I’ll see you at the ceremony I’m sure Antoni will look after you”.

“I’m sure he will Davey, now go get your sister ready”. He lightly smacks Dave's and laughs as Dave gets into the photographer's small car for the quick journey to Steph's hotel.

They arrive a couple of minutes later and Dave walks the photographer up to Steph's room.

"So," the photographer says "I really want you guys to just go about your morning as if I’m not here”.

Dave nods "No problem," he says as he taps on the door.

Cheryl answers in her silk robe and with rollers in her hair "Dave" she says with a smile she gives him a huge hug. Her fingers lingering on his arm "Come in come in".

She hands him a flute of champagne, “Cheryl this is my third I’ll be drunk for the ceremony if I keep this up”. He still accepts it though and Cheryl laughs at him.

“Don’t worry, I mixed it with lemonade” she laughs.

Dave spends the best part of an hour just sitting as the women get ready, on a few occasions his mother looks to him but she doesn’t say much. He wonders what Klaus is doing and if he is having a good time Antoni because surely Wessel and Maccus will have left for the final ceremony preparations. He considers texting him, just to see if everything is okay when Cheryl calls him.

“Steph wants to talk to you”, she says

"Thanks, Cheryl"

He makes his way into Steph's room and is blown away. She is sitting there in her white dress and it brings tears to his eyes “Dave” Steph says with a smile as she pats the bed inviting him to sit beside her.

“You look beautiful Steph” he comments and her eyes light up. It’s the happiest he thinks he has ever seen her.

“You look very dashing yourself” she laughs before she clears her throat.“ I know I'm freed of wrongdoings today but I wanted to properly apologise to you," she says solemnly.

“You don’t need to its okay” he offers as he sits down beside her, taking her hand

"No Dave" she shakes her head "I'm so mad over how I treated you so I wanted to personally invite Klaus to the wedding, I want you to be happy" she squeezes his hand "I love you, Dave, you are the best little brother I could ever have asked for". Tear begin to well in her eyes and she laughs lightly.

Dave gives his sister a strong hug “Thank you so much Steph” he leans out to look at her face “Although I should tell you that a cousin of Maccus cancelled and he gave Klaus his spot”.

Steph laughs "What a nice act," Steph says with glee "That's why I'm marrying him". She stands up from the bed and offers Dave her hand "So little brother you ready to give your sister away".

He links her arm “Boy am I”, and they leave the room for the ceremony. The photographer having captured the most beautiful raw moment Dave and his sister had probably ever had.

As Dave and his mom hold Steph’s arms as they walk her down the aisle at the ceremony he feels in a daze. His sister is getting married, it both joys him and overwhelms he leaves her at the chuppah with a kiss on the cheek he smiles. He dreaded this wedding, in many ways for the longest time, he feared the journey to the wedding, he feared the judgement of his family, he feared Cheryl of all things but now as the ceremony commenced he felt serene and calm this wedding wasn’t a curse but a blessing. His sister’s wedding had brought truth and honesty to their relationship and as he looked back a few rows and saw Klaus sitting with Antoni, he smiled. Steph’s wedding had brought him Klaus and that was worth all the pain of getting there.

After the ceremony, the guests were invited to enter the reception space but Dave had to stay back for pictures, not that he minded. He had made peace that this was a joyful day and as he smiled for the pictures his heart felt full and warm.

Not long after however they finally make their way to the reception venue and Dave is blown away. The building is a gorgeous mid-century manor, with a grand oak interior. The furniture is all vintage and following a warm colour scheme, as he eyes the furniture however he spots a familiar person sitting in one of the chairs, and the biggest smile graces his face.

“Is that your boy?” Steph whispers to him with a smile on her face.

Dave nods as he continues his awestruck gaze "Yeah that's Klaus, do you want to say hi?"

She links her arm around Dave’s “I sure do”, and Dave leads them over to where Klaus is sitting. He puts his hand on Klaus’s shoulder to alert him to their presence and Klaus immediately smiles at him.

“Hiya baby," Klaus says as he stares up at Dave, paying no notice to anyone else around.

“Hey dear” Dave responds and quickly cups his cheek. Klaus is smiling and leaning into the touch when he notices the awkward bride linking her arm with Dave’s.

“Fuck how rude of me” he yelps and he dashes up from his seat, offering Steph his hand “It’s nice to meet you”.

She laughs “And it’s nice to meet you too, I understand my brother is quite awestruck with you".

Klaus then pinches Dave’s cheek “You sure bet he is and as am I, he’s a cute little thing”.

Steph smiles “Well it’s been a pleasure, I better find my husband and mingle” she shoots Dave a stern look “Dave be ready in the foyer in thirty minutes for the procession to the head table”.

Dave nods at her and smiles as she leaves, he then picks up two glasses of prosecco from the greeting table, keeping one for himself and another for Klaus. "Cheers," he says as he takes a drink.

Klaus takes a sip before he smiles at Dave again “What was that she said about thirty minutes?”

Dave sipped slowly “Oh she wants the wedding party to line up and make a grand entrance to the head table, a bell will ring in like twenty to get everyone else seated and then we will make a grand entrance”.

“Uh huh so” Klaus downed the rest of his drink “What you’re saying is we can do what we want for the next twenty minutes” he raises his eyebrow as he looks to Dave.

Dave too downs his drink “I think your right, shall we see what the gardens have to offer?”.

Klaus smiles and links his hand around Dave’s bicep “We shall”.

That was how Dave found himself in the cold October weather with his back pressed against a tree and Klaus at his neck, kissing all around the area but being careful not to bite.

Dave is smiling as he runs his hand around Klaus’s back but also pulls him closer. Klaus has straight up magical lips and he honestly feels under a spell. “Klaus” he utters through rasped breaths.

“Hmm?” Klaus’s response falls on his pulse point and the vibrations tickle him.

Dave honestly thinks he will die if they keep this up. "Klaus," he says again and this time he holds Klaus's cheeks, making his boyfriend look at him. Klaus's eyes are looking to him with immense disappointed and Dave feels the need to kiss it away.

With a quick kiss to the nose, he smiles at Klaus "You better go find your seat and I better go find my sister, she may be alright with me being gay but I think she will not forgive me being late".

Klaus chuckles lightly “Yeah your right, I guess I’ll see you after the meal” he gives Dave’s hand a final squeeze and kisses Dave on the cheek once more before he saunters away.

Dave takes a deep breath, it's just a meal. He just needs to survive next to his mother for the meal portion of the evening, that’s possible.

Using his phone reflection to straighten his shirt collar Dave rushes back to the foyer of the hotel, just in time as he sees the bridal party beginning to get into formation.

“Dave!” Steph bites as she pulls him into the line “Where the hell where you”.

He laughs nervously ruffling his hair “Uh restroom”.

Steph rolls her eyes “Fine whatever you say, let’s do this”. With polished smiles they all formed the line, his mother behind him Dave gulped. He could do this.

And he did quite well actually, he was seated at the very end of the table with only his mother beside him, Cheryl on the other side of her and Cheryl the angel that she had turned out to be over the vacation managed to keep the conversation going with the one thing everyone knew Mrs Iris Katz liked to talk about, herself. Cheryl kept Iris talking about her wedding and her upbringing and essentially did everything she could to stop Iris asking Dave uncomfortable questions. Dave managed to remain pretty quiet and just eat his food until the end of dessert when a hotel porter puts a microphone in Dave's hand. "It's time for the speech now Mr Katz," he says and with a gulp, Dave stands up.

Gripping the microphone Dave gulped as he unfolded the piece of paper in his pocket; it wasn’t even word for word just bullet points. Every time he tried to write the speech word for word it ended up sounding fake so he decided he would just use prompts and speak from the heart.

When Maccus had called him months ago asking him to do this he agreed, he didn't think at the time how difficult it would be, however. People always talk about the best man speech and what goes into crafting the perfect blend of heartfeltness and humour; nobody talks about how difficult writing the father of the bride speech is though; especially when you’re not even the father of the bride. Dave took one more deep breath and looked down.

"Maccus and Steph" he began and he looked to them and he looked at them their loving stares and how happy they looked, she was holding his hand on the table, their new matching rings proudly on display. He then looked down to table two, to a pair of green eyes looking at him. Dave smiled at him and his nerves began to melt.

“I assume everyone knows I’m not Steph's father," he said, eliciting a laugh from the crowd. "I’m Steph’s younger brother Dave and it is a privilege that Maccus asked me to speak today as a surprise for my sister”. Perhaps not the most standard move Dave moved out of his spot and stood behind the couple taking Steph’s hand. “My sister and I were very lucky," he says "See we know what love is and we know how important love is, our dad Joseph Katz was the most loving man in the world”. He gulps “All our Dad ever wanted was for Steph and me to be happy and for us to be ourselves".

A few tears begin forming in Dave's eyes and he quickly wipes them "Steph dad would be so proud of you, I'm so proud of you" he then ducked to hug his sister.

“I love you so much Dave” she whispers to him and he nods.

“Writing a speech was a struggle for me, in fact, I figured most of it out last night which I’m so sorry Steph”. Dave smiled at Klaus again, Klaus didn’t know but it was with Klaus sleeping on his lap and a movie neither of them cared for playing on the television the night before inspiration finally struck and Dave after months of procrastination completed his speech.

"I used to think love was something you look for," Dave says softly "It was something that you purposefully decided you were in need of and you found, I was wrong". Dave looks to the two of them "Love found the two of you and it's so beautiful that everyone can see it, I hope everyone in this room can see it". Dave smiles at the couple "I hope everyone can have what the two of you have, I love you both".

He lifts his glass and smiles “L’chaim ”.

Down the room, he sees a pair of green eyes with tears forming and he smiles, he hopes Klaus knows it but he inspired some of those words. Dave takes his seat so Wessel can start his best man speech and finally relaxes. A poke to the side from his mother, however, alerts him.

“What’s wrong with you David” his mother groans “You can’t even call your sister by her full name on her wedding day, disgraceful”.

Dave turns to his mom “She prefers to be called Steph”.

“It doesn’t matter what she prefers this is a formal affair”.

Dave has no interest arguing so he ignores his mother’s final comments and just tunes in to Wessel’s speech, the final formal part of the evening.

Wessel’s speech concludes and Dave lets out a sigh of relief, he could finally leave his mother’s side and begin enjoying himself. As he looked down to the ballroom he saw Klaus and an older woman at Table 2, pretty grand feet considering Klaus had only been in his life a few days. Under the watchful eye of his mother, Dave wondered if she noticed the way he glanced to the table throughout the meal. He secretly wished he was sitting there with them but as the porters began clearing away tables to open up the dance floor Dave took it as his cue to leave.

“I’m grabbing a drink” Dave announced to the table, only to see the joy on Cheryl’s face.

"I'll join you, Dave," she says as she stands up from the table.

As he and Cheryl walk towards the bar he notices Uncle Brian making his way to the head table and counts his blessing that he got out of there in time. In the most polite terms, Uncle Brian was an ass, had always been an ass. Sure there was a time when Dave aspired to be like him but looking at him as an adult he was a nasty nasty guy.

“Looks like you dodged a bullet there Dave” Cheryl jokes to him, shifting her eyes back to Brian now occupying his old seat.

“Hopefully he stays there” Dave utters back.

At Table 2, he places his hand on Klaus’s lower back and lightly massages it with his thumb.

“Dave," Klaus says lovingly, his eyes glowing with awe and adoration “That speech was the most beautiful thing I have ever heard and I’ve ever heard, and I’ve seen Romeo and Juliet on Broadway”.

Dave is about to reply when a new voice alerts him. “Klaus _lieve,_ this is the boyfriend?” the older woman says with a smile on her face and her hand resting on Klaus’s bicep. She is the woman Dave noticed Klaus smiling and laughing with earlier.

“Davey darling this is Vicky, Fabien’s mom so basically my mom for the evening". Klaus and the lady then start bellowing with laughter again and Dave wonders how much wine they have had. They both stand up and Vicky wraps her two arms around the two of them.

"Dave," she says in a motherly comforting tone "Klaus here is a sweet boy, I am so glad my son’s appendicitis had one good outcome”.

Dave nods, shook from the maternal praise that he is not used to, “How is your son ma’am?”

She laughs again “My Fabien? He is fine, he will be glad to hear somebody had a good time”.

"More than a good time Vicky," Klaus says with a large grin and Dave can’t help the look of adoration he casts on him.

Dave is so caught up in the moment and the introductions that he just then notices that Cheryl is gone. That is until a minute later when she returns with a tray of four shots.

"You don't know me ma'am but I figured you would like one too," Cheryl says.

“You figured right” she replies and takes a single shot before wrapping her arm around Cheryl’s “Copy me now dear” she instructs.

Dave and Klaus take their shots and mirror the action of wrapping their arms around each other before downing the tequila. The music then starts and Vicky who Dave can see is a social animal is dragging Cheryl towards the dance floor. "Leave the boys to have a few drinks together” Dave hears her laugh out as she drags Cheryl away.

“She seems like fun” Dave jokes to which Klaus starts giggling.

“She is more than fun, I told her I was adopted from here and she said we can just pretend she is my Dutch Mom” Klaus then leans in close to Dave’s ear “She also thinks you are rather handsome”.

The tips of Dave’s ear then tinge pink and he smiles at Klaus. “I’m jealous I didn’t get to sit over here with you, seemed to be much more fun”.

“Davey my dear the night is young, lots more time for shenanigans” he jokes back at him. “Now I don’t know about you but I think a certain blue eyed beauty and his devilishly handsome boyfriend would enjoy some Rum and Cokes.

“Hmm” Dave replies “You know what I think your right, let’s go” and he takes Klaus by the elbow and leads him towards the bar.

The bar is busy but nothing crazy and as they wait Dave notices Klaus has rested his head on his shoulder, he puts his arm around his waist to bring him closer, it’s nice. Dave had considered before the reception began the implications of sharing intimacy with Klaus and he concluded that when alcohol is involved everybody becomes tactile and more so they were in such a public place his mother wouldn’t dare make a scene.

Sipping their drink the just stare into each other’s eyes and smile at one another like two young teenagers too afraid to make the first move. Cheryl then comes running back to them, “So um that was just the band warming up and we should have waited so Steph and Maccus could have their first dance” Cheryl is clearly a little bit drunk because in any other setting she would be quivering in embarrassment.

“Ladies and Gentlemen” announces the singer of the band “Please put your hands together for the happy couple”.

Dave sees his sister and her husband take to the dance floor for their first dance and it is intoxicatingly beautiful, they sway together in a clearly learned routine but it is captivating everyone in the room. While everyone is so in awe of watching them Dave places a delicate kiss on Klaus’s cheek.

"Bold move Mr Katz" Klaus jokes before kissing him on the lips “But I’m bolder!”

Dave then just holds Klaus by the hip and drinks the rest of his drink.

“And now “declares the singer “The wedding party”.

"Shit, Dave that's us" Cheryl blurts out.

Dave gives Klaus an apologetic look but Klaus just laughs at him "Go dance you, dummy, I'll be right here".

Dave nods and follows Cheryl to the dance floor where he begins to slow dance with her. "Uh, Dave we messed up," Cheryl says and her eyes dart to Wessel who is, unfortunately, dancing with Dave's mother.

“Oh crap, I should have danced with Mom right?”

"Yep," she replies rather matter of factly.

“Dave?”

"Yeah?" he replies, as they dance they are in such proximity that nobody else will hear them and he sways the two of them ever so gently.

"I'm so happy for you," Cheryl says cheerfully.

Dave grins “I just can’t believe I only met him on Wednesday, I mean what” Dave laughs.

Cheryl nods “Seriously though Dave you made your own whirlwind romance love story and he is great”.

“Yeah” Dave whispers, he is looking away from Cheryl now to Klaus who is still at the bar. Klaus catches his gaze and he smiles at him. “Klaus is the most amazing person I have ever met”.

Standing at the bar, he is so beautiful. His bottle green suit makes him stand out from the people around him but Dave honestly believes Klaus would always be the most stand out person in the room, no matter what the room was or who was in it.

"Did I tell you the first thing I said to him?" Dave says with a smile on his face as he spins Cheryl around, a throwback to his senior prom and the night they both spent dancing at that.

“You most certainly did not David Katz, let me guess?”

“You never will but you can try” he laughs and swings both of their arms outwards and inwards, Dave had never been a great dancer but Cheryl laughs so she clearly doesn’t mind.

"Hmm," she twitches her nose from side to side as she thinks "did you offer him some candy?"

Dave laughs, knowing Cheryl that is probably how she initiates conversation with strangers.

Dave playfully dips her “I did not, you have two guesses left”.

Laughing Cheryl regains her composure “Did you ask him for some candy?”

“Cheryl there was no mention of candy”

Cheryl nods “Okay okay cool” she removes her hands from Dave’s so she can think, tapping her index finger against her puckered lips as she focuses.

She then hops with excitement and grabs Dave's hand "I got it" she says and she leans into Dave's ear to whisper "You asked him if he was in the mile high club".

Dave goes bright red “What kind of suave guy do you take me for Cheryl?”

She shrugs “I figured you must have been suave to get somebody as cool as Klaus”.

“Okay I do understand your reasoning but I was anything but cool” he laughs “Klaus sat down beside me and complained about not being able to get his bag in the locker, he had a really cute crop top on and I was so in awe of it I looked at him and said ‘ _You’re really pretty’_

Cheryl spits in laughter rolling her head back, “God Dave you geek”.

He shrugs and the two of them continue their dancing as the song comes to an end and they are no longer committed to dancing. Dave makes a mental tab to thank Wessel for dancing with his Mom but when he looks over he sees uncle Brian has relieved Wessel of his dancing and Dave wonder how long exactly they danced for.

He rejoins Klaus at the bar, who is holding three rum and cokes “Here you go my lovely dancers”.

Dave takes the glass “Thank you, baby”.

Klaus leans close to him “I was very jealous of Cheryl”.

Dave smiles “No worries there's a ton of time for us.

An upbeat song comes on and suddenly Cheryl is disappearing onto the dance floor.

"She loves to dance," Dave says with a shrug and he leans back against the wall, Klaus following suit.

"She's really good at it," Klaus says with a smile.

Dave nods “Yeah she is, it’s a good thing too. At prom at least one of us could move”.

Klaus giggles “I’m sure you were adorable at prom”.

Dave stares at Klaus “You can’t be serious, you don’t remember my blonde highlights?”.

Klaus then laughs “Oh god Dave I did forget” he then ruffles Dave’s curls “I still stand by my comment, I’m sure you were adorable”.

Dave stares into Klaus’s eyes, Klaus is so beautiful, he lifts his drink to his lips and sips as he drinks in Klaus’s beauty. The corners of Klaus’s mouth are pointing into a smile and Dave wonders if his mother is distracted enough to share a quick kiss. Before he gets a chance however Cheryl has reappeared.

“Klaus dance with me” she pleads as she takes his hand in hers.

“Will you be okay Dave or would you care to join us?”

Dave laughs “No, go enjoy, I’ll be right here”. He ushers Klaus to follow her and Klaus gives his hand a little squeeze.

"I'll be back soon," Klaus says before he allows Cheryl to pull him away.

Watching Klaus dance was a spectacle, all flaying limbs that seemed to move independently, Cheryl looked to be enjoying it too and Dave smiled at the scene. He was tipsy now but nowhere near as drunk as he was at the bachelor party where he hadn’t actually observed the way Klaus moved on the dance floor. It was so cute that he regretted declining to dance with them.

"David, that girl is going to be able to see the eyes you're making go ask her for a dance," a new voice says and Dave turns to see Uncle Brian standing beside him at the bar. A glass of whiskey in his hand's uncle Brian is tilted forward slightly, clearly feeling the effect of the whiskey.

“Hi Uncle Brian," Dave says, he had managed to avoid Uncle Brian until this point and he had been hoping to keep it that way.

“I heard you had to spend the day in Amsterdam” Uncle Brian says sleazily. He moves closer to Dave “Did you pay for girly while you were there?”

Dave chokes on his drink “What?”

Brian with his conniving eyes looks at him again “Don’t what me boy, I know you can pay for the girls in Amsterdam”.

Dave shakes his head “That isn’t really my thing” and he looks down at his drink, hoping uncle Brian will leave.

“I’ll tell you what” Uncle Brian then wraps an arm around his neck his whiskey sloshing down onto Dave’s shoulder “I’ll take you up tomorrow, that is unless you fuck the little bridesmaid”.

"I'm going to go the restroom Uncle Brian," Dave says as he excuses himself. He hopes Klaus and Cheryl continue their dancing until he gets back.

Because Dave has terrible luck though as he exits the dance hall he comes face to face with his mother. Iris has a glass of red wine in her hand, never a good mix.

“Where are you going?” she questions.

Dave sighs “Just to the bathroom Mom”.

She hums “And who was that I say you talking with, the man dancing with Cheryl now”.

Dave pauses, he knows well he can just tell her. Steph had said he was more than welcome too but he shakes his head, telling her could mean she could try to embarrass Klaus and he didn't want that. "Just part of the groom's party," he says which isn't technically a lie.

“You should spend less time talking to him and ask a girl to dance” his mother replies before she makes her leave.

In the bathroom Dave has to splash cold water on his face, it was dumb he knew it was dumb that his mom could upset him this much yet still he felt himself becoming panicked.

“Hey you alright Dave?” came a voice and he turned around to see Antoni standing there.

He shook his head “Just a little nerves, my mom was making a huge scene over me talking to Klaus and I want to dance with him but I don’t want her to make a scene and..” Dave noticed he was rambling and shook his head.

Placing a hand on his shoulder Antoni smiles at him "Hey it's okay and your feelings are totally valid, I'll tell you what both of you and heck bring Cheryl, come dance with Wessel and me, let your mom think we are just a big group".

Dave nods “I would like that”. Feeling much calmer he allows Antoni to lead him back to the dance floor where Cheryl and Klaus are still dancing.

“Davey you came” Klaus purrs and he takes Dave’s hand in his.

"Yeah it took some convincing from Antoni here," Dave says and with his other hand, he takes Cheryls.

Wessel soon joins them and Dave is honestly having the most fun he has had of the entire wedding. The cheesy wedding band plays songs that allow them to drunkenly dance around each other. Klaus seems to be having a good time and it brings a huge smile to Dave’s face. The upbeat tunes had to slow down eventually though.

The tempo of this song was slower and Dave finally had a burst of confidence that he put his hands on Klaus’s waist “Can I have this dance Klaus Hargreeves” he says.

With the sweetest blush, Klaus nods "Why of course you can Dave Katz". They are tucked in the corner, most of the wedding guest in the centre of the dance floor, his mother nowhere to be seen so Dave assumes she is at the bar with Uncle Brian. Cheryl decided to grab a drink and Antoni and Wessel couple up for the slow dance too.

Klaus wraps his arms around Dave’s neck and also rests his face on Dave’s shoulder. Dave knows he isn’t a great dancer but he took lessons before “Do you mind if I lead” he says with a smile and he combs a stray hair out of Klaus’s face.

Klaus nods “I don’t mind at all”.

They sway together as Dave moves them around, he feels surrounded by Klaus but in the most comforting way. He places a feather light kiss on the top of Klaus's head.

"Dave," Klaus says looking up at him.

Dave combs his hair again “Yeah?” he says softly.

Placing his forehead against Dave's Klaus smiles "Thank you, Dave, for today for this week, this has been amazing". With Klaus so close to him Dave can't see anyone or anything else which is why a familiar voice shakes him so much.

“Would you be a lamb and fetch me a glass of water?” Iris says causing the two of them to break apart and look at her. She takes a tight hold of Klaus’s arm “We haven’t met but if you could grab that water” she repeats as she stares fiercely at him.

Klaus shares a look with Dave. “I can get the water mom” Dave replies but Iris shakes her head.

“And deprive your mother of a dance with her son? David I expect more manners”.

“I don’t mind I can get the water, unless?” Klaus looked into Dave’s eyes as he waited for an answer to an unasked question.

“it's okay” Dave replies “Yeah grab mom the water I’ll be here”.

Klaus excuses himself and Dave took his mothers hands for the dance she had asked for. For a moment they simply danced and Iris was quiet. She looked over her shoulder and then glared back at Dave “Whatever you are doing David I suggest you stop it now” she whispered and with that she released Dave.

Klaus stood beside her with the water and she took it from his hand. “David I’m going to find your Uncle Brian, I suggest you listen to what I said”.

Dave begins to physically shake and Klaus quickly takes hold of his face. “Hey, Dave? Davey dearest?”

Dave finally looks up at him and Klaus smiles “Hey why don’t we get some fresh air?”

Dave nods “Yeah that sounds nice” he then allows Klaus to lead them out of the function room and into the large garden.

At the side of the garden is a small fountain with a bench in front of it which Klaus instructs Dave to sit down at it. "Breath baby," he says and he places his hand on Dave's thigh.

Dave nods “I’m sorry Klaus, I’m making such a chore of this”. Tears begin to well in his and he whimpers, his head falling onto Klaus’s shoulder.

“Shh baby it’s okay," Klaus says allowing Dave to cry and caressing his cheek. "It's okay to be afraid of her and you have done so much this week it's okay to be afraid".

Still crying Dave nods “But what about you?”

"What about me? Dave all I want is for you to be happy and comfortable". Klaus takes Dave hand inviting him to stand up "Let's walk around a bit," he says with a smile and Dave gratefully takes his hand.

Klaus begins to lean in to kiss Dave but Dave is quickly yanked away, uncle Brian pulling him by the elbow.”What the hell do you think you’re doing assaulting my nephew like that” Brian spits as he pulls Dave closer to him, further away from Klaus. “I found him he’s over here” Brian yells.

He pinches Dave’s cheek forcing Dave to look closer at him, so close that Dave can smell the whiskey on his breath." I think you have had too much to drink David, been smoking wacky tobaccy with this creep, it's messing with your mind".

Brian is gripping Dave’s damaged arm so Dave begins to whimper in pain.

“Let go of him Brian," his mother says as she approaches the group, she takes Dave's hand in her own. She looks at Dave with the rawest emotion Dave had ever seen on her face. Dave looks at his mother and she shakes her head at Brian once more making him finally release Dave.

"You don't want this David, not this life," she says apathetically. Her eyes pierce into Dave’s “I shouldn’t have let you move to the city it made you sick, David whatever this man has told you, ignore it, it's not right. On Tuesday you're to move back with me to Missouri”.

She then turns her gaze to Klaus “If you know what good for you, you will leave my boy alone, he's a good boy always has been and he doesn't need the likes of you polluting his mind".

Dave shakes her hand off his, she doesn’t put up a fight and releases him. Brian now turns to Klaus “You heard her, make tracks you little prick”.

“Don’t speak to him like that” Dave yells and he steps out in front of Klaus, shielding him in the fear that Brian will try something.

“David, this is your family you’re talking to and don’t you dare speak to me like that” Brian yells and he steps forward as he puffs out his chest in a display of masculine dominance.

“Or what Brian you’re going to punch me?” Dave states. He glares at Brian almost as a challenge.

“You damn right I will” and Brian’s hand swings forward but it doesn’t make contact because Dave notices Klaus’s hand has caught it.

"You so much as think about hurting Dave and I will break your fucking hand," Klaus says and his eyes pierce at Brian.

Brian lifts his other hand and Klaus catches that too. “David” his mother wails “Get this degenerate to go”.

“What the hell is going on here” a new voice calls and everyone turns their head to see Steph and Maccus standing there.

Dave’s mom coughs her voice clear “Stephanie, this man whoever he is was trying to attack your brother and Brian and I are trying to protect him, David is sick and confused and..”

“Oh lay off it Mom” Steph savagely remarks, “The only person hurting Dave is you”. She steps forward making Brian lower his fists, he was scum but he wouldn’t hit Steph. She stood between them and took both Klaus and Dave’s hands in hers. “Are you guys okay?” she asks.

Dave shares a glance with Klaus they were shaking but they weren't harmed "We're okay".

Steph nods “Maccus darling, could you call a taxi for my mother and uncle I think they have had enough”.

“Stephanie you wouldn’t dare do this to your mother" Uncle Brian yells and he takes Mrs Katz hand in his and shakes them both in his drunken rage. He stares “You would seriously choose to let this stranger stay rather than _your_ mother and I!”

Iris shakes her head “I never, what a thing, you ungrateful girl”.

Dave’s mom continues arguing with Steph, Uncle Brian thankfully is not talking his pride being harmed by his niece talking back to him.

Dave looks between everyone, he can scream at his mom, he can fight with Brian but he doesn’t, he chooses something much more important. His entire life Dave allowed fear to cloud him and stop him from making decisions for himself.

"Klaus," he says distracting his partner from the argument in front of them. He takes Klaus’s hand in his and Klaus looks at him. "I love you," Dave says because he can no longer contain it and the words which had been crying to be said and simply could not stay inside him anymore. He could have waited, he could have said the words as they stood together on a romantic bridge or anywhere for that matter but here under the scrutinising glares of his mother and his uncle and the protective presence of his sister and her husband, Dave gave Klaus’s hand a tender squeeze.

“I love you Klaus I really really love you”

Slowly Klaus comes closer towards him, he wraps his long arms around Dave’s neck and Dave pulled him against him, tears now starting to well in his eyes. His mother and uncle stood beside him and he didn’t give a shit, he felt his shoulder become wet and it was clear that Klaus was crying too. Lifting Klaus’s chin he looked into his glassy green eyes, grazing his fingers against Klaus’s bottom lip he used his free hand to cup his cheek.

Closing his eyes Klaus leaned into it before he gulped.“Dave” he says through his voice whimpered "This morning I lied".

"Lied about what," Dave says with a smile and with Klaus’s face in his hands.

Klaus then laughs and he wipes the tears from his eyes and takes Dave’s hands in his “The cyclamen I told you they mean sincere tenderness”.

Dave looks at Klaus questioningly “And they don’t?”

Klaus for the first giggles again and he shakes his head “No they do, but they also mean a devoted heart and are the flower of love”.

Dave leans in close to Klaus “So what your saying is you said it first” he teases and he pulls Klaus closer to him.

"Yeah in my weird non direct way, wow I told you I loved you and you didn't understand" Klaus gave a full toothed grin and put his two hands on Dave's cheeks. "I love you, Dave, I've never loved anybody before but their right when you know you know".

Iris and Brian stand disenchanted, not that Dave care’s anymore. He takes Klaus’s hand and kisses it. Valiantly he looks to his mother once more, more dauntlessly “I’m gay mom, I love him are you going to deal with it?” he raises his left eyebrow on the question while keeping the piercing gaze with her. For so many years he allowed the fear of her disapproval to control him, by abandoning the fear he felt free.

Before Iris replies Steph speaks up “You can think about it back at your hotel Mom, your taxi is here ” Steph glares at her mother, clearly not wanting to argue anymore.

Reluctantly and without anymore fight Iris and Uncle Brian leave, Maccus escorting them out to ensure they really leave.

Swamped with emotion Steph laughs nervously, her hands are shaking with nerves and she gives both Klaus and Dave a huge hug.

“Klaus” Steph says with a smile but also fresh tears in her eyes “I don’t know if you knew but MTV have approached us for a show” she laughs as she wipes the tears “Keeping up with the Katz’s”.

Klaus now laughs too "I wouldn't even be surprised, you guys definitely have enough drama for it" and Dave wraps his arms around his boyfriend's neck, giving his numerous kisses on his cheeks.

“I’m so sorry you had to see this baby”. Dave kisses his lips and has a long look at his face “I’m so sorry”.

Klaus shakes his head with a smirk “Well Dave I don’t know about you but I think we are missing out on some quality dancing”.

Dave takes Klaus's hand in his "Yeah your right come on let's go". He leans his face close to Klaus's "I love you so much baby I can't wait to explore Europe with you".

“Wait what?” Steph says.

Klaus and Dave share a laugh, "Oh right" says Dave "I forgot to tell you Americans can spend 90 days travelling without a settlement visa, Klaus and I are going to go backpacking and in the meantime, I'm going to renew my French passport".

She smiles at them “So you guys won’t be flying home with mom”.

Dave scoffs a laugh “Oh big no”.

She smiles again “Well make sure you give Cheryl all your big luggage you can’t go backpacking dragging a huge case around”.

With huge smiles on their faces, they follow Steph back into the hall where without the scrutinising glares of his Mother and Uncle Brian they can slow dance and kiss and just be together. When Klaus first told Dave about his relationship with his siblings Dave craved what he had, now as he drunkenly danced with Steph and his new brother in law he had it and he had never been happier.

It’s almost five am and the bar is shut when they are all forced to leave the venue. Cheryl has already been sent home due to her drunkenness, Dave was confident she would go to her own room at least and not his. Both he and Klaus hug Steph tight. "Have fun on your honeymoon?" Dave says with a smile and with a kiss to his sister's cheeks.

“Have fun with Klaus” she replies. She then grabs Klaus “You look after my baby brother now will you?”

Klaus looks into Dave's eyes "You can bet I will". With final hugs shared and in the pitch darkness Dave takes his boyfriend's hand as they make their way back to the house for the final time.

As they walk hand in hand they pass the bar from the bachelor party, they pass the restaurant from the rehearsal dinner, they pass the crow-stepped gabble house and finally they stand in front of the train station.

“It's ours,” says Dave and he pulls Klaus closer to him, kissing the top of his head. He brings their joined hands to his lips and kisses each of Klaus’s five fingers.

“Ours” Klaus repeats.

Dave turns so they are looking each other in the eyes “Our future, our together, our happiness” he says. He kisses Klaus deeply “All we have to do is get on one of those trains”.

Klaus playfully kisses his cheek “But first we have to get some sleep Davey”, and Dave nods.

“Yeah first let’s go back to our room and cuddle up, and later we’ll start our adventure”.

“Dave” Klaus says with a smile “This has been an adventure since the moment we met”. He then joins their lips together and holds Dave close. Dave is surrounded by warmth and happiness and love and his life has never been better.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OH.MY.GOD. GUYS !!!!!
> 
> I cannot believe that I got this chapter done over Christmas!!!!! So this chapter is pretty much the end of this adventure but I have an epilogue planned which will be coming soon !!! That being said this fic has been such a pleasure to write and I have loved every minute of this. All of your kind comments throughout have made it so worthwhile. I have had an amazing Beta-reader so shout out to Bri for being amazing !!!! I really hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, the confrontation with Iris and Brian was especially difficult for me because I really am a girl who only wants to write fluff, like ever. Also, I am not Jewish but I tried my best to include Jewish customs.
> 
> If anyone would like to leave a comment it would warm my heart
> 
> xoxoxo
> 
> Naomi


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